texture and flavor--is truly the spice of life. Eating a variety of foods greatly improves the chances of getting all the nutrients you and your family need for good health.
How can you tell just what nutrients a veggie contains? As the following chart shows, the outside color can be a clue to the vitamins and minerals found within.
COLOR: WHITE
Examples: potatoes, cauliflower, onions
Nutrients: fiber, potassium and other minerals
COLOR: DARK GREEN
Examples: spinach, broccoli, bell peppers
Nutrients: vitamins A and C, folic acid, fiber and some minerals
COLOR: GREEN
Examples: beans, peas, zucchini
Nutrients: fiber, potassium, vitamin A and some B vitamins
COLOR: ORANGE
Examples: sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots
Nutrients: vitamin A, fiber, potassium and trace minerals such as iron and zinc
COLOR: RED
Examples: tomatoes, beets, red cabbage
Nutrients: fiber, minerals and vitamins A and C
FUNNY FRUIT FACES
Delicious and full of nutrients, fruit should be a staple on every family's menu, yet just five--orange juice, bananas, fresh apples, apple juice and watermelon--accounted for nearly half of America's fruit consumption in 1996. One way to get kids interested in new varieties is to turn tasting into an art. Choose interesting or colorful fruits at the store or farmers' market, then turn the kids loose making imaginative faces. Odds are, they'll snack as they create--and like what they taste.
Ellen Haas is the author of GREAT ADVENTURES IN FOOD (St. Martin's Press) and is the president and CEO of Foodfit.com, an Internet site with tips on healthy eating, active living and cooking with kids. She lives in Washington, D.C.
