From beautiful sunsets and flowers to fruits and vegetables, you can find yellow everywhere in mother nature.
Like leafy greens, yellow foods can also be a healthy addition to your diet. They get their tint from carotenoids, which are beneficial antioxidants. That’s why we recommend you to eat yellow foods regularly and reap their health benefits.
To make it easier for you, we have compiled a list of 15 naturally yellow foods you shouldn’t miss including in your daily diet.
Why Are Yellow Foods Good For Health?
Yellow foods are good for health since they are rich in fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, and other essential minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, zinc, etc. They can improve your heart, eye, and brain health. We will discuss the health benefits of yellow foods in detail, of course, backed by research in this article.
15 Naturally Yellow Foods
Here is a list of 15 naturally yellow foods you should be consuming regularly:
1. Bananas
Bananas are tropical fruit that is easily available and affordable. Ripe bananas are of vibrant yellow color. They are highly nutritious and contain few calories.
Moreover, bananas are rich in dietary fiber and can keep you satiated for longer and help in weight loss. The fiber in bananas is also effective in softening stool and relieving constipation.
Moreover, bananas are a good source of essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, and carbohydrates. Moreover, they are loaded with vitamins A, C, and B6.
Health experts recommend people with high blood pressure consume bananas regularly since they are rich in potassium. Potassium eliminates the excess sodium from the body, thereby reducing blood pressure.
You can add bananas to your bowl of cereal, smoothies, milkshakes, loaves of bread, peanut-butter sandwiches, muffins, etc.
2. Pineapples
Originating in South America, pineapples are tropical fruits with hard, spiny skin. They are incredibly healthy as they contain few calories but are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Pineapples are good sources of fiber, manganese, zinc, and vitamins C and A.
The high fiber and potassium content in pineapple is beneficial in improving your heart health and reducing the risk of stroke.
Moreover, the vitamin C in pineapple helps to strengthen the immune system and prevent cell damage.
Pineapple can also help reduce the risk of certain cancers, as shown by studies.
You can add pineapple to your cocktails, desserts, cakes, pizzas, burgers, pasta, etc. You can also enjoy them raw, grilled, or baked.
Warning: Some people can be allergic to pineapple. Therefore, if you develop breathing issues and swelling after consuming pineapple, immediately consult your doctor.
3. Lemons
Lemons are small, round-shaped citrus fruits with a very sour taste and thick skin.
They have very high vitamin C content. One medium-sized lemon can provide you with 31 grams of vitamin C, which is double the amount of vitamin C that is required in your daily diet.
The vitamin C in lemon can help in boosting your immunity, prevent cell damage, improve bone health, and heal wounds. Lemons are also rich in fiber. This fiber can ease constipation by regulating bowel movements.
Furthermore, many studies suggest that lemons can help reduce cholesterol.
You can use lemons to add a savory taste to your soups, curries, and salads. You can add lemons to your tarts, pies, and cupcakes.
4. Cantaloupes
Cantaloupes are deep yellow colored summer fruits that belong to the family of honeydew melon and watermelon. They are large and have hard skin.
Cantaloupes are an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C and A. 1 cantaloupe can provide you with 100% of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is beneficial in protecting your cells from damage and boosting immunity. Moreover, the vitamin A in cantaloupe can help improve your eye health and boost your immunity.
You can add diced pieces of cantaloupe to your salads and fruit cream.
5. Mangoes
Mangoes are delicious tropical fruits that have a sweet, juicy pulp and a large seed at the center. Mangoes not only taste delicious but are full of health benefits.
They are storehouses of fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. These vitamins help to build immunity, heal wounds and improve eye health.
Mangoes are also rich in folate. Pregnant women are advised to include mangoes into their diet since folate supports the healthy growth and development of the fetus.
Moreover, the high amount of dietary fiber in mangoes helps treat digestive problems such as diarrhea and constipation.
Although most people prefer to eat raw mangoes, they can be a great addition to your milkshakes, smoothies, cakes, and other desserts.
6. Yellow/Golden Apples
Apples are one of the world’s most popular fruits that offer tremendous health benefits. Compared to red apples, yellow apples are more expensive and rarely found. The presence of carotenoids, a yellow plant pigment responsible for their yellow color.
Yellow apples are very nutritious and provide a good source of potassium, zinc, and iron, as well as a rich source of phytochemicals, which is a combination of beneficial plant compounds.
According to studies, consuming apples reduces the risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and diabetes, among there.
Apples can be a delicious addition to your salads, pies, sandwiches, and fruit cream. You can also eat them raw to reap their maximum health benefits.
7. Yellow Zucchini
Zucchini is a kind of summer squash indigenous to Central America and Mexico. It is a versatile and delicious vegetable that can be added to various dishes.
The presence of antioxidants known as beta-carotene in zucchini gives it a bright yellow color. Zucchini is rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium and vitamins A and B6.
According to research, vitamin B6 helps regulate blood sugar levels in the body against diabetes and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
You can add zucchini to your pasta, noodles, salads, vegetable stir fry, etc. You can also bake it and serve it with steak or grilled chicken.
8. Dandelion Flowers
Dandelions are plants with with edible yellow flowers. From stem to root, all the parts of dandelions offer significant health benefits. Dandelions are storehouses of vitamins C, A, and K.
The dandelion flower is rich in beta-carotene, a beneficial plant compound that protects your cells from damage.
According to research, dandelion flowers are beneficial in detoxifying the body and promoting liver health. They are used to improve digestion and treat stomach ailments like bloating and constipation.
You can use dandelion petals to brew herbal tea. You can also chop them and garnish them over your salads and desserts.
Warning: People with gallbladder and kidney issues should consult their doctors before consuming dandelion.
9. Starfruit
Star fruit is a tropical fruit indigenous to Southeast Asia. It is also called carambola. It resembles a star and has a sweet and sour taste.
Star fruit is rich in nutritious minerals like magnesium, sodium and potassium, and vitamin C. It is also a fiber-rich fruit and contains few calories.
The high fiber content in the star fruit also helps stimulate metabolism and leads to weight loss.
Star fruit can be sliced and eaten raw or used to garnish salad desserts. You can also add it to salads, pies, jellies, etc.
Warning: People with kidney disease should avoid eating star fruit or talk to their doctor before including it in their diet.
10. Corn
Corn is a delicious, starchy vegetable that has small kernels surrounded by a husk. Corn has a pale yellow color and is loaded with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B, and K.
It is also a rich source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Corns can help in solving digestive ailments like hemorrhoids and constipation.
Moreover, corn can be good for your eyes! It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that protect your eye lens from damage and reduce the risk of cataracts.
On a lazy day, you can boil corn kernels and season them with salt and pepper.
11. Yellow Bell Peppers
Yellow bell peppers are sweeter in taste and more nutritious than green or red bell peppers. They have bright yellow, glossy skin, which is a result of being left to ripen.
Yellow bell peppers have a high vitamin C and A content. A single serving of yellow bell pepper has around 340 mg of Vitamin C, which is more than the required daily intake of the vitamin.
The antioxidants and vitamin C in yellow bell peppers help repair your cells and thereby reduce the signs of the aging process, giving you youthful skin.
You can cut yellow bell pepper into thin strips and add it to your tacos, salads, pizza toppings, pasta, soups, rice dishes, etc.
12. Potatoes
Potatoes are easy to find and cook and very affordable! They are bursting with fiber and folate.
Since potatoes are a good source of fiber, they keep you full longer and help you in reducing weight.
Moreover, according to studies, fiber helps in lowering cholesterol levels in the body and thereby decrease the risk of heart disease.
You can add boiled, baked, or roasted in your diet or use them in your soups, rice dishes, curries, etc.
13. Golden beets
Golden beets are a variety of beetroot that taste comparatively sweeter and milder. As its name suggests, golden beet is of vibrant yellow color due to the presence of beta-carotene.
It contains antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
According to studies, golden beets help in lowering blood pressure and improving heart health since it is rich in potassium.
Moreover, studies suggest that golden beets are good for detoxifying the liver and improving digestion.
You can add this sweet veggie to your salads, stews, soups, pasta, etc.
14. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a round, large vegetable with a hard and ribbed skin. It has a yellowish-orange color and a sweet taste. Scientifically, pumpkin is considered a fruit.
Pumpkin is high in vitamins A, C, and fiber. One serving of cooked pumpkin has more than 200% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
According to studies, Vitamin A helps reduce the risk of vision loss and other eye ailments with age.
Studies also suggest that pumpkin seeds can help relieve the bladder by increasing can urination.
Pumpkins can be a delicious addition to your soups, stews, and pies. You can also season them with salt and pepper and bake them in the oven to obtain the maximum health benefits.
15. Yellow Wax Beans
Yellow Wax Beans also called ‘butter beans,’ are similar to green beans in taste. They have smooth, velvety skin and are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins C, and minerals like iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
Since they don’t contain chlorophyll, a green plant pigment, yellow wax beans have a light yellow color.
They contain more fiber and fewer calories, making them a perfect meal for people who want to lose weight.
You can increase your iron and manganese intake by consuming a diet rich in yellow beans. While iron helps in the functioning of the red blood cells, manganese is essential for your thyroid health.
You can sauté yellow beans with other vegetables or add them to your salads, fried rice, soups, etc.
FAQs
1. How can I make natural yellow food color?
You can use yellow foods like golden beets to make your natural food coloring. Just follow these 3 simple steps:
- Add 1 diced beet to ¼ cup of water.
- Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and stir on medium flame until the beets soften.
- Now, blend the mixture and strain it. Your DIY, natural yellow food color is ready!
2. Are papayas harmful to pregnant women?
No, papayas are not harmful to pregnant women as long as they are fully ripened. However, since raw or semi-ripe papaya contains latex, it can cause premature contractions and miscarriage.
3. Who shouldn’t consume cantaloupes?
People with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease should refrain from consuming large portions of cantaloupes since they can increase the body’s blood sugar levels.
Moreover, if consumed excessively, cantaloupes can cause kidney disease since they are rich in potassium and high potassium levels in the body make it difficult for the kidneys to function correctly.
4. Who should not eat cauliflowers?
People with digestive problems should not consume yellow vegetables like cauliflower. These veggies are high in complex carbohydrates called raffinose. Your body finds it difficult to digest this carb, and thus, leads to bloating and flatulence.
Conclusion
Now that you know about the amazing health benefits of some natural yellow foods, try to include a portion of your daily diet!
In a nutshell, not only do yellow foods taste delicious, they can be very beneficial for your health. From protecting against cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers to boosting immunity, the benefits of yellow foods don’t seem to end.
Are there any other yellow foods we have missed in this article? Please tell us in the comment section below. We would love to know your feedback.