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Natural Awakenings South Central Pennsylvania

Fruits and Vegetables Combat Inflammation

Jun 27, 2018 05:35PM ● By GIANT Food Stores Nutritionists

Summer is a great time to incorporate carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks. Top pizza with a variety of veggies, grill peaches for a sweet dessert or add berries to yogurt. Carotenoids are natural pigments present in fruits and vegetables that have been shown to reduce inflammation and preserve vascular health. Carotenoids imbue a bright yellow, red or orange hue to many fruits and vegetables, as well as egg yolk, salmon, shrimp, algae and crab. Dark green, leafy vegetables also contain carotenoids; but they are masked by chloroplasts.  

Several studies have found that consuming foods high in carotenoids decreases risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Chopping fruits and vegetables, pairing them with fat and cooking them may increase the bioavailability of carotenoids. For example, the bioavailability of lycopene from tomatoes is improved by heating tomatoes in oil.

For more information, visit GiantFoodStores.com/nutrition.