Healthy black deserts. I came across this advertisement on a health oriented website. Curious, I discovered that this particular reference to black desserts had no racial distinction but rather referred to the naturally dark foods they were made from. Foods classified as black are naturally dark-colored fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes — such as blueberries, black beans, black rice, black figs, cacao beans, and coffee beans, to name a few. This particular website featured healthy black sesame squares
This reminded me of a Qi Gong weekend workshop in 2017 where the instructor promoted the health benefits of his concentrated red homemade food paste. It was the first time I was aware of the notion that the natural colors of plant foods could be related to their health benefits. At the time the association seemed a bit mystical. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine have long recognized the relationship between the colors of food and their influence on health. To the scientific eye, the associations did seem a bit mystical. Until research proved otherwise.
Eating a rainbow color of foods became a popular theme in Western culture around the beginning of our current century as Science evolved its understanding of the health benefits of phytonutrients — the chemicals that give foods their color.
Phytonutrients are bioactive compounds that build up in different parts of the plant — they have disease-protecting or defensive properties. When people consume phytonutrients, they may benefit from the following:
- increased antioxidant activity
- increased anti-microbial activity
- stimulation of the immune systemX
The Colors of Food and Detox Pathways
The primary organs of the body’s detox pathways are the skin, liver, colon, kidneys and lungs. In addition to their overall health benefits, phytonutrients directly protect and nourish these organs in some of the following ways:
Black — Black plant foods such as black kale, black garlic, and black radishes contain anthocyanins. Anthocyanins support liver function, providing high levels of antioxidants, and improving digestion. They are particularly rich in compounds like glucosinolates, which help break down toxins.
Purple — Purple plant foods such as berries, purple cabbage, and eggplant contain the same anthocyanins as black foods at lower, but still nutritionally powerful levels. These phytonutrients also reduce oxidative stress during phase 1 detoxification and protect liver cells from damage. They help regulate enzyme activity to neutralize carcinogens and toxins.
Orange — Orange plant foods contain beta carotene, one of several carotenoids that are a precursor to vitamin A: your body converts this inactive form of vitamin A to its active form. Vitamin A keeps epithelial cells, which line the surfaces of your skin, lungs and colon, in good condition: hydrated, protected, and running well.
Red — Red plant foods such as red peppers and tomatoes contain lycopene, and anthocyanins, which are also carotenoids. Lycopene nourishes and protects the liver.
Green — Green plant foods such as leafy greens contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll facilitates the excretion of toxins and reduces their absorption by binding to them.
Creating a Detox Protocol
I have so far mentioned only a few of the hundreds of phytonutrients that support your body’s health. Eating the rainbow daily will provide you with a broad range of benefits. You can also access this arsenal of wellness to address specific issues of functions.
As an example, here is a brief summary of five classes of nutrients and their detoxifying abilities. These foods are rich in phytonutrients that help eliminate heavy metals from the body and remove persistent organic pollutants (POP). You can click on the link at the end of the list to view more details.
- Flavonoids, found in foods such as cilantro, parley, onions, apples, oranges, and blue. They bind to heavy metals in the body and help excrete them. They also help reduce inflammation caused by toxins.
- Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): The richest source of EGCG is green tea. In addition to other health benefits, EGCG triggers the increased production of certain genes and enzymes that help the body detoxify POP such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and environmental aerosols.
- Quercetin. Foods high in quercetin include onions, blueberries, kale, cherries, cherry tomatoes, apples, and broccoli. Quercetin binds to heavy metals and facilitates their excretion from the body. It also increases levels of the enzymes responsible for removing POPs. It is important to include the outer layers and skins of these fruits and vegetables where the Quercetin is usually concentrated.This might take a bit of innovating. For example the onion — quercetin is located in its outer layers and skin. To obtain the most benefit peel off as little of the outer layers as possible. The skins can be simmered in broths and soups. Red and yellow onions have the highest concentration.
- Curcumin. A compound most will probably recognize, it is found in turmeric. Curcumin binds to heavy metals in the body and is another phytonutrient that increases production of the enzymes responsible for the removal of POPs.
- Organosulfur compounds. Foods rich in sulfur tend to be pungent and slightly bitter and include onion, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips, and bok choy.Organosulfur phytonutrients bind to heavy metals and help the body excrete them. They increase natural antioxidant defenses, neutralizing toxins, and reducing inflammation of the liver.X
Add the IonCleanse by AMD to Your Detox Protocol
Complement the colors of your dietary protocol with the colors from our detox foot bath. The IonCleanse is the safest and most effective footbath on the market. See our research page with our study on glyphosate reduction and heavy metal excretion after its use. We offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our product.
I love the gems I often get from the articles that I write. I will change one cooking habit now that I have learned that Quercetin is concentrated in the outer layer and skins onions. I routinely try to use as much of a whole food as I can, often not peeling fruits or vegetables even when called for in a recipe. To use more of an onion had never occurred to me. Until now.
