Why it is so important to eat a wide range of colorful fruits and veggies (and not get stuck with only having your favorite few).
A couple of days ago, we talked about Michael Pollan's 7-word mantra, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants," which pretty much sums up everything one needs to know to nourish one's body through food. I highly recommend that you check out that short post if you haven't done so already.
Today, let's take a closer look at the benefits of eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies of all shades of color.
However, before we do so, let me point out that "eating the rainbow" already belongs to fine-tuning your plant-based diet. If you're just getting started with increasing the amount of whole, fresh, unprocessed produce in your day-to-day diet, don't make things too complicated.
In the beginning, it's absolutely fine to concentrate on just a handful of your favorite fruits and veggies and get confident in different ways to incorporate them into your diet, i.e., don't try to accomplish everything at once.
Developing an eating routine that is as healthy as it is sustainable is a process that takes time. It involves a lot of trial and error, experimenting, and gaining confidence. So, don't put too much pressure on yourself by thinking you need to incorporate every single piece of advice from day 1 onwards. You don't. Just take one step at a time so as not to overwhelm yourself. Because when wanting too much too soon, you run the risk of quitting altogether and going back to less healthy ways of eating.
However, once you feel confident with basic plant-based food prep skills, I would like to encourage you to get adventurous and add new fruits and veggies of all colors of the rainbow to your diet.
And here's why:
Eating a diversity of differently colored fresh fruits and vegetables is an easy way to get a good range of vitamins and minerals.
To function at its best, your body needs the whole spectrum of nutrients, ranging from macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fat, and of course water, to micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. And then, there are phytochemicals, which are also called phytonutrients. These chemical substances that are produced by plants play an important role in keeping our whole body healthy and possess enormous healing powers.
Each color is produced by a specific phytonutrient and therefore indicates distinctive properties. This is Nature's way of pointing out the nutrients and thus the health benefits contained in the different colored fruits and veggies.
So, let's explore the different colors and the health properties that come with them.
Red. Phytochemicals such as lycopene and polyphenols such as ellagic acid give many fruits and vegetables their bright red color. These powerful substances have numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that those red-colored nutrients help fight cancer, boost the immune system, neutralize damaging free radicals, enhance brain and heart health, and reduce the risk of stroke.
Examples of red produce are tomatoes, watermelon, red beet, strawberries, cranberries, red pepper, raspberries, or pomegranate.
Yellow and Orange. Yellow and orange fruits and veggies get their sunny color from carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. They are also rich in vitamin C. This combination makes them beneficial in fighting inflammation, improving eyesight protecting the skin against sun damage, improving immune function and cell repair.
Examples of yellow and orange produce are carrots, pumpkin, citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, mangoes, papayas, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, apricots, and yellow peppers.
Green. The well-known substance chlorophyll is what makes plants and leaves green. But greens are also rich in folate, which belongs to the group of B-vitamins and is an essential vitamin that we cannot produce ourselves. Folate is important to repair the DNA and to produce healthy blood cells. Greens effectively detoxify the body, boost the immune system, and help reduce the risk of cancer. In addition, greens also assist in tissue healing, help to restore energy levels, and increase vitality. For all of these reasons, fruits and veggies of all shades of green and especially leafy greens should take center stage in any plant-based diet.
Examples of green fruits and veggies are broccoli, Savoy cabbage, kale, kiwis, green beans, edamame (green soybeans), Brussels sprouts, and, of course, all sorts of leafy greens.
Blue and Purple. Blue and purple are two deep colors that mainly result from the phytonutrients resveratrol and anthocyanin, which are well-known for their healing properties. They prevent cell damage, have anti-aging properties, help fight inflammation, boost memory function, reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, and slow the progression of cancer.
Examples of blue and purple fruits and vegetables include blueberries, blackberries, prunes, red cabbage, eggplants, radicchio, and black mission figs.
White. Even though white veggies are is not as brilliantly colored as their red, yellow,/orange, green, or blue/purple cousins, they too contain several beneficial phytonutrients, such as allicin or quercetin. These substances can help to keep your heart healthy, protect against certain types of cancer, lower cholesterol, balance hormones, and reduce inflammations.
Examples of white produce are cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic, potatoes, parsnips, daikon radish, turnips, and onions.
Can you see how eating a rainbow supplies your body with an impressive range of nutrients that provides so many health benefits?
So, how can you incorporate a greater variety of colorful produce into your diet?
Here are some tips:
Be adventurous. Chances are that in your local supermarket or farmer's market, you will see fruits and veggies that have not yet made it to your dinner table. So become adventurous and try out 1-2 new colorful fruits and veggies each week.
Prepare a large mixed salad for lunch or dinner or both. 🤗 Putting together a salad gives you a perfect opportunity to incorporate a variety of colorful veggies - and some fruit, too. So, get creative!
Play around with the colors. You could, for example, try putting together meals that contain all colors of the rainbow. Or you could have great fun creating mono- or duo-colored meals. Like using only red and orange/yellow ingredients. Or only greens. 😄
Treat yourself to a healthy and colorful breakfast. Replace a breakfast centered around bread or processed cereals with a colorful fruit salad, a green smoothie, or top your oatmeal with a handful of mixed berries. If you prefer a savory brekkie, what about a colorful, sautéed vegetable mix with a fresh green salad on the side?
What steps will you take to add more colorful fruits and vegetables to your life?
