Looking for More Complete Nutrition? Experts say, Eat the Rainbow (Resource Links)
With so many diets and approaches to nutrition and our eating, it is easy to get overwhelmed and saturated with information.
So what’s the right answer? Is it keto? Intermittent fasting? Vegan?
The answer is… one size does not fit all.
But the “eat the rainbow” approach, focused on consuming whole foods in a range of colors, covers most of the essential nutrients that your body needs.
Various nutrition experts, doctors and health organizations have highlighted the benefits of eating a range of colorful foods. Here we’ll explore the physical benefits, how to incorporate more color into your daily meals and bonus benefits.
What does eating the rainbow do for my physical health?
Dr. Mark Hyman, a practicing family physician and leader in the field of functional medicine, posted an easy guide to the nutrient benefits for each color food group on his Instagram.
He shares how the color of fruits and vegetables signals the beneficial substances and healing compounds they contain.
His post shares the color food group, a list of foods and the relevant substances they contain. Some are clear like protects against cancer and repairs genes, others I had to research.
- Orange Group: contains beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A supports the healthy function of the heart, lungs and kidneys, as well as, normal vision, immune system function and supports reproduction. More here.
- White/Green Group: contain antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol. According to several studies, consumption is attributed to less coronary heart diseases and cancer, reduced inflammation and improved vascular function in diabetics. Read more.
How can I incorporate the rainbow into my daily meals?
The American Heart Association has this useful handout. It lists a number of fruits and vegetables in each color food group and provides suggested preparations that’ll make it easy to incorporate more of these foods into your everyday meals.
The suggested incorporations I find easiest are “add it on” and “mix them up” because you aren’t actually focused on eating that new fruit or vegetable, it’s just a part of the dish!
- Add it on: this suggests adding fruits and vegetables to foods you already love, like veggies on your pizza or on top of pasta, and fruit pieces to your breakfast cereal or yogurt.
- Mix them up: I have a habit of sneaking veggies into baked goods, casseroles and soups. My trick? Chop them, grate them, make them almost invisible! The food tastes so good, you completely forget that you’re also eating veggies.
What other benefits are there?
In Dr. Deanna Minich’s book, The Rainbow Diet she connects the colors of the rainbow and how they influence our lives. She says her approach,
“…will help you understand and balance your own inner rainbow, making it possible to remove toxins, repair existing health issues, boost energy, improve relationships, and find your true purpose and passion in life.”
If you’re familiar with the chakras, you’ll totally go for Dr. Minich’s work titled, the 7 Systems of Health. Download it here.
- Red: Adrenal Glands and Instinct/ The Root
- Orange: Reproductive Glands and Creativity/ The Flow
- Yellow: Digestive System and Transformation/ The Fire
- Green: Heart and Line/ The Love
- Blue-Green: Thyroid Gland and Truth/ The Truth
- Indigo: Pituitary Gland and Wisdom/ The Insight
- Lavender/White: Pineal Gland and Connection/ The Spirit
This “eat the rainbow” approach is practical and an easy visual to remember.
You can quickly form a checklist when going to the grocery store to make sure there is something from every color of the rainbow in your cart. See if you can eat something from every color food group in a day or try different color combinations together.
Happy colorful eating!
Want more on the how-to eat the rainbow? Check out tips for eating more from each color food group: red/blue/purple, orange/yellow and green.
