Fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods are packed with healthy compounds known as phytochemicals, in addition to vitamins, minerals, and fiber. From anthocyanins (the red pigment in strawberries and cherries) to allylic sulfides (responsible for the pungent flavor of garlic and onions), these phytochemicals may be responsible for some of the disease-preventing effects of fruits and vegetables.
Phytochemicals have no nutritive value -- that is, they are not vitamins or minerals -- but they may have positive effects on the body over the long term. Possible beneficial effects include inhibiting tumor formation, preventing blood clots, blocking the cancer-promoting effect of certain hormones, and lowering cholesterol levels.
Follow these tips to increase the phytochemicals in your diet.
- Consume a plant-based diet. Try to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day (including 3 cups of legumes a week) and six servings of grain products each day. Vary the choices to get a wide range of phytochemicals, focusing on dark green vegetables, red and orange fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
- Season foods with herbs and spices. These seasonings also contain phytochemicals. Try using garlic, shallots, ginger, basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, cumin, curry powder, cayenne pepper, red chili pepper, and cinnamon, to name a few.
- Incorporate soy products into your diet. Tofu, soy protein, soymilk, soy flour, soy butter, and edamame (edible green soybeans) can all be included in your diet as long as you have not been advised to avoid them. Tofu and other soy products are mild tasting and pick up the flavor of the foods they are cooked with. Tofu can be stir-fried with vegetables or added to soups. Soy flour can be substituted for up to one quarter of the flour in baking recipes, and soy butter can be spread on bread in place of peanut butter.
