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Are you lacking red foods in your diet? What is the reason for that?
Do you think red foods are unhealthy, therefore, not willing to add them to your diet?
That, my friend, is not the case.
We all have heard the saying that “An apple a day keeps a doctor away.”
And that is the case with all of the red foods, not just an apple.
In fact, every colored food contains different nutrients that are important to maintaining a healthy diet.
Similarly, painting your diet with the red color comes with many benefits that include reducing the chronic diseases.
Red foods are loaded with powerful anthocyanins and lycopene that help prevent cancer and heart diseases.
They may strengthen the immune system and protect the liver as well.
They can also help with improving eyesight and reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Lona Sandon, RD, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern medical center in Dallas says, “There are may red fruits and vegetables to choose from and they each bring something a little bit different to the table.”
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The Comprehensive List of Red Foods:
Here is the list of red foods that you can take benefits from if you add them to your diet.
1. Strawberries:
These small, red and juicy hybrid species are cultivated worldwide for their respective characteristics like aroma, texture, bright color and its sweet flavor.
They are consumed in large quantities mainly in jams, jellies, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, jellies, chocolates, and other several dessert items.
They may also be used in other daily life products like lip gloss, soaps, perfumes, etc.
Strawberries are high in fiber, potassium, manganese, and vitamins.
They are fat-free, cholesterol-free, and are low in calories.
2. Red cherries:
The small, round, stone-shaped cherries come in a variety of colors.
They vary from yellow to deep red.
They come from the cultivators of several species such as sweet and sour.
Cherries are full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
They protect against diabetes and may promote healthy sleep as well.
They can provide arthritis relief and can prevent a gout attack.
They can also curb cholesterol and reduce post-exercise pain.
3. Red peppers:
Red pepper belongs to the genus of the flowering plants Solanaceae.
They have been used in many cuisines around the world.
This is another red food on the list.
They can be eaten cooked or raw and are also frequently used chopped in salads or mixed with other dishes.
Red peppers are a good source of vitamin A and C.
They are also a good source of lycopene which is a good choice for heart health.
It contains antioxidants and carotenoids which are healthy for skin and tissues.
4. Tomatoes:
These red berries of the tomato plant are often used in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks.
They are considered vegetables by nutritionists and fruits by botanists.
They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
You can eat them raw as well as cooked, but cooked tomatoes are generally more nutritious than the raw ones.
They are a good source of fiber as well, containing 95% water.
5. Pomegranate:
Originated from the region extending from Iran to northern India, they are now widely cultivated throughout the world, especially the middle east and Caucasus region.
It is an edible, red, sweet fruit that grows seeds and pulp inside the flower.
After breaking it open with the knife or hand, the seeds or pulp can be separated from the outer inedible shell.
Pomegranate juice has been widely used in Europe and the middle east.
The juice can be sweet or sour, depending on when the pomegranate was harvested.
It is a rich source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.
6. Plums:
Plum is another red food on the list.
Different types of plums have different colors.
Victoria plum is the one with a red color.
It can be used with meat, desserts, and many other recipes.
Both plums and prunes are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
It is ideal for skin health and helps in the generation of new skin while removing dark spots.
As a low-calorie food, It is ideal for weight loss as well.
7. Blood orange:
Blood orange is another one of many red foods found on earth.
It is somehow sweeter and has a more intense aroma than the regular oranges.
Some of these blood oranges may be tart as well.
The distinctive dark color of blood oranges is due to the presence of anthocyanins in them.
These oranges can be eaten as raw or used in salads, juices, baked goods, cocktails or other foods that call for oranges.
Easier to peel and having fewer seeds inside, these oranges are normally more expensive than the usual oranges.
Packed with the antioxidants, they contain about 70% of the calories and are high in potassium and dietary fiber.
They can help fulfill the daily demand of the recommended vitamin C.
8. Rhubarb:
Rhubarb is a vegetable that has a red color.
It has a strong, tart taste.
It is particularly grown for its leafy, fleshy stalks known as petioles and is used in several dishes and juices.
Rhubarb contains a bunch of vitamins and minerals.
It has more calcium than the cup of milk and contains healthy amounts of vitamins K, C, potassium, and manganese.
9. Red spinach:
Red spinach, scientifically known as Amaranthus dubius, is a plant specie belonging to the family Amaranthaceae.
It has both red and green varieties.
It is usually found in waste places and disturbed habitats.
The specie is valued as a leafy green vegetable throughout the south and south-east Asia.
Particularly grown for cooking, it can also be used in other dishes or sauces.
Cooked leaves are a good source of vitamins A, C, iron, and other essential minerals.
10. Red onion:
These onions are medium in size and are mild in flavor.
They are often consumed raw, grilled or cooked with some other foodstuff.
They are high in flavonoids and fiber.
Their skin has often been used as a dye.
They have a light sweet taste, with a specific aroma.
They are also used as a part of salads or mixed with the garnishes or soups.
They are loaded with antioxidants.
They can help boost bone density and may have anti-bacterial properties.
Also, they can help prevent cancer.
11. Beet root:
Beetroot is another one of many red foods on this list.
It is full of vitamins and minerals and also has been found helpful in Alzheimer’s disease by recent studies.
It is consumed boiled, chopped, raw, roasted, either combine or alone.
The green leafy portion of the beet is also edible.
The young mature leaves are served boiled or steamed and have a texture and taste similar to spinach.
Beetroot can also be used to make wine or chopped beet to make a Japanese pickle.
It is a source of fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.
12. Radishes:
The crunchy salad vegetable, Radishes, are eaten throughout the world with the variation in their color, taste, size or length of time for maturation.
They have a sharp flavor due to the presence of certain chemical compounds.
Some of them are grown for their seeds and some for oil.
They are loaded with vitamins A, E, C, B6, and K.
They are also high in fiber, antioxidants, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, and calcium.
13. Red chili peppers:
These red, hot, spicy chilies are from the same family as of bell peppers with just a difference in size only.
They are widely used as a spice to give the dishes extra heat and spicy flavor.
They originated from Mexico and are now widely used across the globe for cuisines.
The capsaicin in red chilies increases the body’s metabolic rate and burns down the calories.
Furthermore, they are a rich source of vitamin C that helps in supporting the immune system.
14. Cranberries:
The hard, sour and bitter cranberry got its name from the German word kraanbere.
About 95% of them are used to make juices, sauces, or jellies.
They are also sold dried or sweetened.
Cranberry juice is often blended with other fruit juices to reduce its natural strong tartness.
Sometimes, these are added to the dishes to add tartness.
They lower the risk of urinary tract infections, leading to the prevention of certain types of cancer.
They can also improve immune function and lower blood pressure.
15. Raspberries:
Derived its name from the word “raspise”, these are the sweet rose-colored edible fruits.
They are grown for commercial fruit selling or processing into various foods such as juice, pies, jams, dried fruits, etc.
Raspberries are used fresh or dried in teas and as a natural remedy in herbal and traditional medicines.
They are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals.
They contain antioxidants and fiber as well.
Also, they provide anti-cancer remedy and anti-aging properties to the skin.
In addition, they may prevent diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and other conditions.
16. Apples:
Apple is the most famous red food on this list.
You’ve even probably heard of the slogan or saying that: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
The most populous and widely grown fruit species belonging to the genus Malus, is the sweet edible fruit, Apple.
The whole of this fruit can be eaten, discarding the seeds only.
They can be used in many ways that include eating them raw, baked in pies, salads, sauces, and butter.
Apples are good for your heart and may help in weight loss as well.
Also, they lower the risk of diabetes and may prevent cancer.
17. Red kidney beans:
They resemble the shape of a kidney, therefore, called a red kidney.
They are used in a number of cuisines of India, Louisiana, Netherlands, Indonesia, etc.
These red, kidney-shaped beans contain more toxins than the other varieties of beans and are thus pre-soaked and heated for at least 10 minutes before cooking.
They are an excellent source of protein.
However, they are also rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and many other compounds.
18. Red grapes:
It is a variety of the large-seeded grapes commonly frown in warm areas like California, Chile, or Australia, and is a greenhouse fruit.
They can be used fresh, dried, or in canned foods and juices.
Red grapes contain vitamins such as vitamins C and K.
They may prevent chronic diseases as well and are beneficial for heart health.
They cal also help decrease the blood sugar levels and protect against diabetes.
19. Red cabbage:
Red cabbage is another of many red foods.
It is also called a purple cabbage.
It comes in a variety colors due to the presence of anthocyanins.
These pigments change color according to the PH of the soil.
It grows more reddish in an acidic medium.
It is often used raw in salads or coleslaw.
It can also be cooked as well.
Red cabbage is a good source of fiber, vitamin C and B6, potassium, and manganese.
Also, it is loaded with many antioxidants that prevent different diseases.
20. Red lentils:
Red lentils are the lens-shaped seeds used in several cuisines around the world.
They are cooked into thick curry food and often eaten with roti or rice.
These lentils are low in calories and rich in iron and folate.
They are an excellent source of protein as well.
Red lentils require little effort to cook and no pre-soaking.
They can be cooked in about 10 to 20 minutes only.
They are rich in fiber and have a low glycemic index.
21. Red salmon:
Primarily consisting of the red hue, red salmon or blueback salmon, a fish, is a specie of the salmon found in the northern Pacific Ocean and the nearby rivers discharging into pacific.
Some of them spend their entire life into rivers but others migrate to the oceans at some point in their lives.
Red salmon have an immense health benefits.
They contain heart healthy vitamin B-12.
They are anti inflammatory and immune-supportive as well.
Also, they contain niacin, potassium, and vitamins D, B6, and B12.
22. Red snapper:
Red snapper, a fish, is a specie of the snapper native to the western atlantic ocean where it is associated with reefs.
They are caught for both commercial and recreational purposes.
They have a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor, and can be used in every dish.
Due to the immense benefits of eating red snapper, they are on the verge of extinction because they are over hunted.
Red is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids.
They are also a good source of protein, potassium, and selenium.
23. Red potatoes:
Red potato is also one of many red foods.
All potatoes including red potatoes are an excellent source of potassium.
There are thousands of potato varieties worldwide, used for culinary purposes.
Their pigments such as blue, red, yellow etc. come from the phytochemicals including carotenoids or polyphenols.
They contain zero calories and no cholesterol.
Also, they are a good source of vitamins C and B6.
24. Prickly pear:
Prickly pear or opuntia is a sweet, juicy, red fruit of the prickly pear cactus plant.
The plant may consist of large, fixed smooth spines that adhere to the skin.
We need a thong to get the pricks off the cactus before we can eat.
These pricks are not poisonous, in fact, the whole of a plant is edible.
This fruit Is highly promoted for treating diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and hangovers.
It also possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.
25. Radicchio:
Radicchio is a leafy vegetable and has white veined red leaves.
It possesses a bitter and spicy taste.
It is usually eaten grilled with olive or used in dishes such as risotto.
It can also be served with pasta or used in strudel or tapenade.
It is a good source of vitamin K.
26. Carrot:
Carrot is a orange to red vegetable that is full of nutrients.
It is usually eaten raw throughout the world.
It is found that carrots help improve eyesight.
These are all the red foods we could find for you to make a note of.
Is there anything else you think we missed?
Please let us know using the comments section below.
- Green Foods
- Golden Foods
- Gray Foods
- Orange Foods
- Yellow Foods
- White Foods
- Silver Foods
- Pink Foods
- Red Foods
- Purple Foods
- Blue Foods
- Brown Foods
- Black Foods
