Eat the Rainbow

You’ve probably heard the expression ‘eat the rainbow’ before, but there’s also a scientific reason behind why this concept is important for overall health.

Besides the boredom factor, eating the same types of foods day-in, day-out  means you’re also not diversifying the types of nutrients you’re getting. A diet may be ‘healthy’ but still lack variety. Select foods from different food groups (fruits & vegetables, meat and fish, grains, legumes, dairy ), but also vary choices within each food group. Different foods within the same group contain different nutrients. For example, strawberries are high in vitamin C, while bananas are a good source of potassium.

One of the best indicators of a food’s nutrition value is colour. A diet that includes a mix of red, orange, green, yellow, and blue helps ensure a balanced diet that is also high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Red

Red foods are rich in anthocyanins, Vitamin C, and Lycopene, all potent antioxidants.

  • Red bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, apples, beets, grapefruit, pomegranates, cranberries

Green

Vitamin K is found in large amounts in green leafy vegetables, and plays a role in producing clotting proteins, which are responsible for stopping your body from bleeding during injury. Dark leafy greens are particularly rich in folate, a nutrient that’s especially important for pregnant women.

  • Cucumber, broccoli, spinach, kale, chard, green beans, peas, celery, zucchini, green bell peppers, avocados, kiwis, brussels sprouts, cabbage

Orange/Yellow

Orange foods tend to be high in Vitamin A, which plays an essential role in vision, immune function, and production of skin proteins, and Vitamin C, which contributes to collagen production and helps you to resist infection. Some yellow and orange foods are also high in potassium, a mineral that helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signalling.

  • Carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, papaya, bananas, summer squash, yellow bell pepper, spaghetti squash, lemons, pears, corn, pineapple

Blue/Purple

Purple-blue berries and fruits like grapes and plums are high in Vitamin C and anthocyanins, both antioxidants that protect cells from free radical damage.

  • Blueberries, eggplant, blackberries, plums, grapes, figs, purple potatoes