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As we head into Week 3 of the #FGFEatsRealFood Nutrition Focus, we give you a bonus point opportunity (and your first chance to win a PRIZE!) by focusing on diversity of color amongst your fruit and veggie choices – we’re up to 700g or 5¼ cups daily. Your daily BONUS points are awarded if you get in 5 colors of fruits/veggies per day -- not necessarily in each meal. Coach Kelsie shares the WHY behind the color variety in a little more detail. Enter Kelsie:

Every bite of food we take will either promote and support our health and well-being, or work against us by promoting inflammation which will ultimately lead to disease.

While a plate full of colorful fruits and vegetables IS appealing to the eye, that’s not the only benefit. There are powerful compounds at work under the surface that promote detoxification, improve immunity, support brain health, and decrease inflammation…just to name a few.

A quick glimpse at what these colors can do to support your health:

• RED ❤️ Helps improve circulation. Red foods to include in your diet: tomatoes, red cabbage, cherries, red bell peppers, cranberries, watermelon and radishes.
• ORANGE 🧡 Known to promote vitality and mental clarity. A great source of a powerful antioxidant called beta-carotene, the compound specifically responsible for protecting the eye from cellular damage. Orange foods to include in your diet: oranges, carrots, apricots, pumpkin, sesame and pumpkin seeds.
• YELLOW 💛 Helps support proper digestion, ease irregularity, and support nervous system. Yellow foods to include in your diet: lemon, pineapple, grapefruit, peach, banana, papaya, mango and yellow squash.
• GREEN 💚 Known as a natural detoxifier! Green foods are packed with the phytonutrient chlorophyll, which helps oxygenate the blood. They also provide anti-bacterial properties. Green foods to include in your diet: All leafy greens (romaine lettuce, kale, spinach, collards, etc) sprouts, wheatgrass and avocado.
• BLUE/PURPLE 💜 Contains a unique class of antioxidants called anthocyanin, which give these darker foods their rich color. Known to support optimal mental function. Blue/Purple foods to include in your diet: blueberries, plums, grapes, purple cabbage, and eggplant.

So about that prize...

We want to see your colorful plates! Please post on social media (Instagram and/or Facebook). You can do up to 1 post per day (1 entry per day), Monday through Friday. Your goal is to get in at least 5 colors of fruits and veggies in the day -- they do NOT all have to be on 1 plate or in 1 meal, but the pic you post MUST contain 5 colors to enter the drawing. Be sure to tag @farmgirlfit AND both #FGFeatsrealfood #FGFeattherainbow. We'll draw a random winner from all entrants over the weekend. Good luck! 🌈