Carrot

Plant Phytonutrients

Alpha and Beta-Carotene, Crypto-Xanthin-β and Lutein-Zeaxanthine, Zinc, Selenium, Phosphorous, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Bioactive Polyacetylenes (Falcarinol, Falcarindiol)

Benefits

Has (phyto)estrogenic activity, which is associated with estrogen metabolism.
Associated with lower rates of certain cancers such as breast and prostate cancers.
Good for vision, helps protect eyes from sun rays and eye problems such as cataracts.
Promotes better eye health and prevents macular degeneration caused by deterioration of retina led vision loss.
Has strong bioactive properties and plays a role in stimulating cancer-fighting mechanisms in the human body.

Source

Carrot, Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) (Internet), National Library of Medicine (US), Bethesda, MD, USA, 2006.
H. Chen, F. Shao, F. Zhang, and Q. Miao, “Association between dietary carrot intake and breast cancer,” Medicine, vol. 97, no. 37, p. e12164, 2018.
X. Xu, Y. Cheng, S. Li et al., “Dietary carrot consumption and the risk of prostate cancer,” European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 53, no. 8, pp. 1615–1623, 2014.
Lund, E.D. and White, J.M. (1990) Polyacetylenes in Normal and Water stressed “Orlando Gold” Carrots (Daucus carota). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 51, 507-516.

Oranges & Yellows

Papaya

Plant Phytonutrients

Carotene-Lycopene, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folic Acids, Fibres, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Digestive Enzymes (Papain)

Benefits

Reduces inflammation in various disease conditions such as asthma, eye, and liver disease.
Reduces oxidative stress and free radical scavenging.
Role in reducing the reactive oxygen species, which is linked to delaying in progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Improves skin health and reduces the sign of aging by reducing the free radicals.

Source

Papayas, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories
Abdullah M, Chai PS, Loh CY, Chong MY, Quay HW, Vidyadaran S, Seman Z, Kandiah M, Seow HF. Carica papaya increases regulatory T cells and reduces IFN-γ+ CD4+ T cells in healthy human subjects. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011 May;55(5):803-6.
Somanah J, Aruoma OI, Gunness TK, Kowelssur S, Dambala V, Murad F, Googoolye K, Daus D, Indelicato J, Bourdon E, Bahorun T. Effects of a short-term supplementation of a fermented papaya preparation on biomarkers of diabetes mellitus in a randomized Mauritian population. Prev Med. 2012 May;54 Suppl: S90-7.
Schagen SK, Zampeli VA, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):298-307.

Oranges & Yellows

Pumpkin

Plant Phytonutrients

Alpha-carotene, Beta-Carotene, and Beta-Cryptoxanthin, Antioxidants, Fibres, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Minerals, Iron, Folate, Potassium

Benefits

Helps in strengthening the immune system to fight against different diseases/infections.
Lowers risks of stomach, pancreas, breast, throat cancers.
Provides heart health benefits by preventing the oxidation of low density cholesterol (LDL), which otherwise clump around the walls of the blood vessels and raise the heart disease risk.
Acts as sunblock and protects skin cells from damage by strong and harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Prevents development of metabolic syndromes (combination of diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure).

Source

Veldhoen M, Ferreira C. Influence of nutrient-derived metabolites on lymphocyte immunity. Nat Med. 2015 Jul;21(7):709-18. doi: 10.1038/nm.3894.
Kim HY, Nam SY, Yang SY, Kim HM, Jeong HJ. Cucurbita moschata Duch. and its active component, β-carotene, effectively promote the immune responses through the activation of splenocytes and macrophages. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2016 Oct;38(5):319-26.
Hu F, Wang Yi B, Zhang W, Liang J, Lin C, Li D, Wang F, Pang D, Zhao Y. Carotenoids and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis and meta-regression. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012 Jan;131(1):239-53.
Ge XX, Xing MY, Yu LF, Shen P. Carotenoid intake and esophageal cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(3):1911-8.
Huang X, Gao Y, Zhi X, Ta N, Jiang H, Zheng J. Association between vitamin A, retinol and carotenoid intake and pancreatic cancer risk: Evidence from epidemiologic studies. Sci Rep. 2016 Dec 12; 6:38936.
Milde J, Elstner EF, Grassmann J. Synergistic effects of phenolics and carotenoids on human low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Aug;51(8):956-61.

Oranges & Yellows

Turmeric (Curcumin)

Plant Phytonutrients

(1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione)

Benefits

Acts as an anti-ageing supplement in treatment of ageing associated disorders.
Prevents and treats type II diabetes by reducing insulin resistance and hyperglycemia.
Utilized for the therapeutic management of SARS-CoV-2 infection as the pathophysiological consequences range from elevated inflammatory response, pulmonary damage, and multi-organ damage.
Has shown efficacy in various other disease treatments such as inflammatory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, fatty liver, migraine, several cancers, neurological disorders, diabetes and obesity, gastrointestinal disease, and cardiovascular diseases.
Reduces the incidence rates of neurogenerative diseases and remarkably diminishes (4.4-fold) the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Source

F. Pivari, A. Mingione, C. Brasacchio, L. Soldati, Curcumin and type 2 diabetes mellitus: prevention and treatment, Nutrients 11 (2019) E1837, Curcumin and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Prevention and Treatment by Francesca Pivari, ORCID, Alessandra Mingione, Caterina Brasacchio and Laura Soldati
G. Derosa, P. Maffioli, L.E. Simental–Mendía, S. Bo, A. Sahebkar, Effect of curcumin on circulating interleukin–6 concentrations: a systematic review and meta–analysis of randomized controlled trials, Pharmacol. Res. 111 (2016) 394–404, Effect of curcumin on circulating interleukin-6 concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by Giuseppe Derosa, Pamela Maffioli, Luis E. Simental-Mendía, Simona Bo, Amirhossein Sahebkar
D.W. Zhang, M. Fu, S.H. Gao, J.L. Liu, Curcumin and diabetes: a systematic review, Evid. Complement. Alternat. Med. 2013 (2013) 636053, Curcumin and Diabetes: A Systematic Review by Dong-wei Zhang, Min Fu, Si-Hua Gao, and Jun-Li Liu
VK Soni, A Mehta, YK Ratre, AK Tiwari, A Amit, RP Singh, SC Sonkar, N Chaturvedi, D Shukla, NK Vishvakarma. Curcumin, a traditional spice component, can hold the promise against COVID-19?, European Journal of Pharmacology, 886, 2020,173551.