Enjoy a Red and Green Holiday Season

Enjoy a Red and Green Holiday Season

Eating several servings of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables a day helps maintain good health, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Have some fun with the red and green colors during the winter holiday season. Here's a list of red and green fruits and vegetables from the National Cancer Institute.

Red

·       Tomatoes, Tomato juice, Tomato soup, Red peppers, Red onions, Beets, Red cabbage, Kidney beans, Apples, Pink grapefruit, Red grapes, Strawberries, Cranberries, and Pomegranates

Green

·       Leafy greens, Green peppers, Broccoli, Green beans, Peas, Cabbage, Okra, Chinese cabbage, Green apple, Green grapes, Honeydew melon, Kiwifruit, and Limes

Some quick red and green fruit/vegetable combos include:

·       Red and green apple slices surrounding your favorite fruit dip like a wreath

·       Cole slaw with red apple chunks

·       Cole slaw with cherry tomato or grape tomato halves

·       Tomato soup garnished just before serving with a sprinkle of green onion stems, sliced into small rings

·       Juicy pomegranate seeds tossed atop a green salad.

·       Pizza with a tomato sauce topping and chopped green peppers

To find recipes featuring red and green colored fruits and veggies:Search by color on the Produce for Better Health Foundation "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters" Website.

To learn about the other colors and how many fruits and veggies you need daily based on your age, sex and physical activity, use the quick calculator at www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

Source: Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, University of Nebraska Extension