Doctor recommends eating foods of this color to reduce risk of cancer and dementia

Our parents were right! We may have hated them throughout our childhood, but green vegetables work miracles for our health. This is the food guru, British professor Tim Spector, expert in genetic epidemiology and founder of Zoe Health, who explains it to us.

In an Instagram post, he points out that vegetables come in different colors depending on the antioxidants they contain, called polyphenols, such as red and blue anthocyanins, green chlorogenic acid and yellow quercetin. “ These polyphenols act as fuel for your gut microbes to create postbiotics, beneficial chemicals that affect everything from your immune response to your mental health “, he said.

Bitter taste and dark color

The expert refers to his own research with theAmerican Gut Project, according to which eating 30 different plants per week is “ one of the best things you can do » to promote a diverse microbiome and support many aspects of your health.

However, Tim Spector advises focusing on green vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, spinach, bok choy, romaine lettuce and collard greens. “Be sure to include dark leafy green vegetables, as well as those with dark red or purple leaves, which often have the highest levels of polyphenols. Generally, a bitter taste and dark color are often a promising sign that a food is rich in polyphenols “, he specifies.

Polyphenols and fibers, the key to good health

In an article published in 2022 by New Scientistthe professor claimed that these vegetables could even protect against certain diseases. “ Decades of evidence show that increased consumption of green leafy vegetables is associated with better health outcomes: from reduced cancer risk to improved cognitive health to a lower risk of type diabetes. 2 and better results when trying to get pregnant. »

He continues: “ This is all due to the polyphenols and other nutrients found specifically in colorful green leaves, in addition to another key ingredient that also nourishes our gut microbe: fiber. » His words have been confirmed by various studies according to which polyphenols are effective against tumor growth, and help prevent symptoms of dementia.