NUTRILITE Is Helping Dallas Get Its Daily Dose of Color

BUENA PARK, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Most people consider color an important factor in fashion, home design, cosmetics, even landscaping. But a new study shows that they don't give color much thought when it comes to food that can improve health, especially heart health.

Eight out of 10 Americans, on average, are missing out on the heart health benefits of a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, according to America's Phytonutrient Report: Heart Health by Color, a new report released by the Nutrilite Health Institute. According to this new report, some 80 percent of Americans have a "cardio phytonutrient gap."

Phytonutrients are natural components of plants that science suggests may offer benefits to health, while giving these foods their vibrant reds, yellows, greens and other rich colors. That's why eating a full rainbow of color in your daily diet can help close that "phytonutrient gap".

Is Dallas Getting Its Daily Dose of Color?

According to a recent on-line survey of 500 Dallas-area residents, commissioned on behalf of NUTRILITE:

• Nearly 3 out of 4 (73%) Dallas-area residents report that they eat fewer fruits and veggies than the minimum of five servings per day recommended by USDA government guidelines. The majority of residents (71%) report that they eat just 1 – 3 servings of fruits and veggies on a typical day.
• While nearly 93% of Dallas residents have heard of "antioxidants," just 16% have heard of "phytonutrients," the natural plant nutrients science suggests may offer benefits to health.
• Yellow/orange is the color group of fruits that most Dallas residents, 39%, report eating the most of in a typical week. While green is the color group of vegetables that most Dallas residents, 83%, report eating the most of in a typical week.
• In addition to a general gap in servings, residents indicate that individual color groups also pose challenges. Blue/purple is the color group of fruits and vegetables that most Dallas residents report struggling with in a typical week, with one in three (34%) identifying this color group as the least eaten for fruits and more than half (53%) for vegetables.

Heart Health is Actually More White, Blue and Purple than Red

Heart Health by Color is an extension of the original America's Phytonutrient Report, which looked at fruit and vegetable consumption in five color categories, specifically green, red, white, blue/purple and yellow/orange.  

Though there are many important phytonutrients, America's Phytonutrient Report: Heart Health by Color focuses on four – allicin, quercetin, anthocyanidins and resveratrol – that research suggests may benefit the heart.  These compounds are grouped in the white and purple/blue color categories and are commonly found in garlic, onions, apples, blueberries and grapes.  

Although the white and purple/blue categories most track with potential heart health benefits, these are the color categories that Dallas residents ranked as the top two most difficult to include in their diet.

"We need to think about more than quantity, but consider the color and type of fruits and vegetables eaten," says Neva Cochran, M.S., R.D., L.D., a Dallas-based nutrition communication consultant.

She adds, "There are thousands of phytonutrients gaining attention in the nutrition world that offer a wide range of potential health benefits from promoting eye, bone and heart health to supporting immune and brain function, Some phytonutrients, like lycopene from red tomatoes or cartenoids found in oranges and carrots, may sound familiar, while others such as lutein found in greens like spinach and broccoli or allicin found in garlic are just being recognized."

NUTRILITE is Helping Dallas Get Its Daily Dose of Color

The NUTRILITE brand is focusing throughout the month of March on helping Dallas close its phytonutrient gap and make heart-friendly lifestyle choices. Look for NUTRILITE at:

• The Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, Friday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m, and Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • This event is FREE and open to the public.
  • Dallas residents can switch to a better multivitamin by bringing in their current multivitamin bottle and swapping it for a FREE full-size bottle of NUTRILITE® Daily Multivitamin. (90-day supply.)
  • Get your "passport" stamped as you walk through the NUTRILITE Mobile Brand Experience and be entered to win a $299 NUTRILITE prize package.
  • Make a purchase on-site and walk away with a FREE NUTRILITE water bottle.
• The Shops at Willow Bend through March 21, between Neiman Marcus and the food court. Visitors will have a chance to enter to win a $299 NUTRILITE prize package.

For more information on America's Phytonutrient Report: Heart Health by Color, the health benefits of phytonutrients and practical tips to help you get your daily dose of color, visit www.nutrilite.com/color.  

SOURCE NUTRILITE