25% Love Yourself Meals Promo Codes ➡️ (8 Love Yourself Meals Discount Codes) April 2024 UK

The most redeemed Love Yourself Meals discount codes

WHOLE GRAINS

Your body digests whole grains slower than refined grains, which have been stripped of their bran and germ, and thus fiber, and are absorbed almost as quickly as pure glucose. Whole grains such as whole-wheat breads, bagels, pasta and crackers, and 100 percent bran cereal provide a slower, more sustained source of energy that keeps your blood sugar stable. Quickly absorbed, refined carbohydrates are linked to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and weight gain, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. Whole grains may decrease your risk of these conditions.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

Most fruits and vegetables are slowly absorbed carbohydrates that have minimal effect on your blood sugar and insulin levels. Eat green vegetables, such as spinach, kale and broccoli; and orange vegetables, such as squash, pumpkin, sweet potato and winter squash. Vegetables that are quickly absorbed include white potatoes, corn and parsnips. Whole fruits are preferable to fruit juice, which is absorbed rapidly due to its lack of fiber.

BEANS

Not only are beans an excellent source of slow-release carbohydrates, they're also a good source of protein and fiber, which slow the digestive process. Beans, like whole grains, and most fruits and vegetables have a low glycemic index, a measurement that gives information on how a food affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Include lentils, garbanzo beans, black beans, pinto beans and other beans in your diet for sustained energy and reduced risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The importance of a colourful diet

Colourful plates of food not only look aesthetically pleasing, but are also very nutritious. A rainbow plate packed with the antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables helps you to reach your 5-a day and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Over the years, several Health organisations including the American Institute for Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation and American Heart Association, have advocated for "eating the rainbow'. Dietary guidelines encourage the consumption of a variety of colourful fruit and vegetables for many different health reasons. The more colourful and balanced your diet is, the lower your risk is of overeating unhealthy food, including cakes and sweets that have artificial colours (which unfortunately don't count towards your rainbow plate!).

A healthy diet doesn't always contain every colour, and can depend on the season and the availability of specific fruit and the vegetables. Dark-green, red and orange vegetables are highly recommended by health professionals. Dark-green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and spinach are high in vitamin K which is a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a vital role in blood clotting and bone formation. Red and orange vegetables are recognised for their vitamin A content, which is essential for good eyesight and healthy skin (maybe there is some truth in the myth that carrots help you see in the dark!).

In this article, we are going to tell you the different nutrients that correspond with each colour, and explore the health benefits and functions that they offer.

Red food and inflammation:

Red fruit and vegetables contain phytochemicals (chemicals originating from plants, 'phyto' means plant!) including lycopene and ellagic acid which have cancer-fighting effects, with lycopene (found in tomatoes) being found to reverse the progression of prostate cancer. The addition of pomegranate seeds, strawberries or cherry tomatoes to your daily salad is a great way to reduce the risk of chronic inflammation which leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Moreover, red produce such as strawberries, red bell peppers and tomatoes, contain a lot of vitamin C which is a strong antioxidant that protects the immune system.