"Eating the Rainbow"

Did you know that eating the rainbow by adding more color to your plate can help you live a longer, healthier life?  The first time I heard this term was during my studies as a health coach, and I immediately thought of all the ways it would allow me to take my love for cooking and incorporate a broader range of nutrients and antioxidants into my daily meals.  I became more self-aware, adding more color to my plate and really focusing on a variety of fruits and vegetables.  With summer upon us, it has me excited to try new things from my local farmstand and farmers markets.

There are many benefits of eating fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors.  Aside from making your plate more visually appealing, what can including a rainbow of colors in your diet do for you?  They contain phytonutrients that may help protect our bodies from chronic disease when we eat them.  One color isn’t better than another, so it’s important to get a balance of all the colors when planning your meals and snacks.

Red fruits and vegetables contain Vitamins A, C, manganese, and antioxidants such as quercetin and lycopene.  They decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, decrease inflammation, and increase immunity.  Think tomatoes, beets, radishes, cherries, strawberries, red peppers raspberries, watermelon.

Green fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin K, B vitamins, folate, potassium, and antioxidants such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, and lutein.  They promote eye health, lung health, liver function, healthy cell production, decrease the risk of cancer, increase blood clotting, and lower blood pressure.  Try spinach, arugala, broccoli, brussel sprouts, avocadoes, kiwi, asparagus, kale, fresh herbs.

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin C, B6, potassium, folate, antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lutein, and alpha-carotene.  They decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, promote eye, skin and hair health, increase immunity, and decrease inflammation.  Good sources include oranges, yellow peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bananas, pineapple.

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain B vitamins, and antioxidants such as anthocyanins, resveratrol, and flavonoids.  They decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, protect cells from damage, improve memory, and prevent aging. These include blueberries, blackberries, Concord grapes, eggplant, purple cabbage, plums.

White fruits and vegetables contain Vitamins C, K, folate, potassium, and antioxidants allicin, quercetin, and anthoxanthins.  These lower cholesterol, decrease risk of cancer and heart disease, protect cells from damage, increase immunity, and promote eye, skin and bone health.  Consider onions, cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic, leeks, parsnips, Daikon radish.

Come along with me this summer as I share recipes inspired by the colors I’m adding to my plate!  What colorful foods will you be adding to your plate this week as you eat your way through the rainbow?