Eat the Rainbow

When it comes to eating healthy, I like to keep it simple. No need to complicate things! God has given so many different beautiful foods that are natural, nutritious and delicious! If we focus on eating God-made foods and limit man-made foods, we have already made huge strides toward enjoying a healthy diet. Clean eating, in other words, choosing foods that are as close to the way the came from the plant, is actually a very simple way to eat. By eating a diet of whole, natural foods, and cutting way back on processed, packaged foods, we will get far more nutrients and far less additives and preservatives. It is amazing how much better we look and feel when we are nourishing our body properly! Eating God-made foods doesn’t ever need to boring or bland! It is just a matter of putting them together and creating delicious meals and snacks that nourish your body with the right kind of fuel! You would not put the wrong kind of fuel in your car and expect it to run and operate the way it was designed to, so why would you do that to your body? I want to share with you today a fun and exciting way to enjoy God-made foods to get optimum health benefits; by the yummy colors! That’s right! We can choose foods to give us certain health benefits based on their color! Your plate should be full of different colors! God-made foods come in many colors, textures, and flavors! The natural colors indicate the health benefits associated with each type of food. Why does the color of our food matter? What is it about the color of your food that makes it healthy? The real answer is phytochemicals!

Phytochemicals, also known as phytonutrients, are naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables. They work together with the natural vitamins, fiber and minerals to create a super healthy food! The phytochemicals come in an array of compounds and types, each one specifically corresponding to a certain color! You have most likely heard of many of them; beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are all phytochemicals we read about being in multi-vitamins and in fruits in vegetables. The really neat thing is that the color of the fruits and vegetables we eat are directly linked to the types of phytochemicals contained within that food! So eating a wide array of colors, a rainbow of colors, will ensure that you are getting a balanced, healthy diet. Each color signifies not only the phytochemical that food contains, but it signifies specific ways it will benefit your health! Let’s take a look at the different colors of foods and how they help keep us healthy! This will be fun! Let’s dig in!

Green foods: We have always heard we should eat our greens! Its true! They are packed with goodness! Beautiful green foods are some of my favorites! Green foods are loaded with micronutrients and phytochemicals such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, and vitamin K that help support healthy blood flow, a healthy cardio-vascular system by lowering blood pressure and supporting heart health. They support eye health, liver function and wound healing. Wow, talk about super foods! Get plenty of broccoli, spinach, avocado, green beans, turnip greens, limes, zucchini, kiwi and kale! Who doesn’t love a big, healthy salad or some avocado toast? Delicious!

Red foods: Think of all the delicious red foods just waiting for us to enjoy! Strawberries, cherries, beets, pomegranates, red peppers, tomatoes, radishes, cranberries and raspberries are some mouth-watering examples. Many red foods are loaded with powerful antioxidants, such as lycopene and anthocyanins, which give them their red color. These help fight heart diseases and certain cancers! They can help decrease the risk of stroke and macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in people over 60. How about adding some cherries or raspberries to up your breakfast game? I love a sliced red, ripe tomato from my vegetable garden in the summer!

Yellow/Orange foods: Carotenoids are what give these foods their bright color. They provide you with beta-carotene, folate, alpha-carotene and vitamin C. Think carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, butternut squash, yellow squash, sweet corn, yellow peppers, yellow apples and pears. Yum! These beautiful foods are packed with nutrients that are known to protect your nervous system, promote eye health, support the immune system, aid in heart health, and promote healthy skin. Enjoy a sweet potato instead of fries, and throw some carrots into your next pot of soup! Butternut squash are so delicious cubed and sauteed in a little olive oil!

Blue/Purple foods: Anthocyanins give these bright beauties their color. The purple and blue foods help prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that do all this plus help the body control blood pressure! In fact, the darker the purple color, the higher the concentration of the phytochemicals. These foods are also great for our cognitive health and they support healthy aging. So go get some blueberries, eggplant, grapes, plums, figs, raisins and blackberries! Healthy eggplant parmesan is one of my all-time favorite dishes and who doesn’t love a handful of blueberries in their oatmeal?

White foods: Potatoes, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, turnips, bananas, garlic, white peaches and pears are some delicious examples of white foods. They get their white color from anthoxanthins and the chemical compound allicin. Dig into these yummy favorites to help lower the risk of some cancers, ease inflammation and support heart health. They are known to lower the level of bad cholesterol in the body as well as lower high blood pressure. They also have immune boosting effects! I enjoy riced cauliflower and mashed cauliflower for healthy side dishes! How about a yummy spinach and mushroom omelette?

So pack your plate full of color and boost your daily intake of important nutrients! Look and feel your best by simply choosing the bright and beautiful foods God has given us! Next time you are at the grocery store, slow down and take your time in the produce section! Learn to grow your own vegetable garden! Get colorful with your meal planning! Don’t limit yourself to a one-color plate of food. Go ahead and try new foods! Experiment with new tastes, textures and colors. Try new recipes with different colors of foods. Remember they are all gifts from God for you to enjoy!