eat the rainbow

A spectrum of colors in your meal leads to a variety of health benefits.

OK, you can’t taste color. But the color of your food is one sign of nutritional power.

Although it’s essential to get at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, it’s also important to diversify what you’re eating. Researchers have found that nutrients and powerful phytochemicals vary by color. Thus, eating many different colors of produce allows you to harness maximum benefits—an ability we shouldn’t take for granted. Some phytochemicals are even thought to reduce insulin resistance.

“Only humans and birds have color vision,” says David Heber, director of UCLA’s Center for Human Nutrition. He believes the ability to see color probably evolved as a way for us to better see—and eat—colorful fruits and veggies.

But eating all the colors of the rainbow each day can seem like a daunting task—especially if you’re not eating as many fruits and vegetables as you should. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, know there are easy ways to work in extra servings of healthful foods. “Include at least one fruit for breakfast every day—sliced into your cereal, blended into a smoothie, or as a whole piece in the car on the way to your job,” suggests Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of Plant-Powered for Life. “At dinner, double or triple up on veggies—that little serving of green beans on the side of your plate isn’t enough!”

Let’s get familiar with the bounty of benefits from each food color.

“Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.”

—Bobby Flay

color it nutritious

Filling your plate with a full spectrum of colors is an easy way to make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

RED

Many foods, like strawberries and cherries, get their red color from anthocyanins, antioxidants that can help prevent chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Cooked and processed tomato products like tomato sauce and juice are the best sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant known for heart health and bone health as well as its cancer-fighting properties.

red apple, beet, red cabbage, cherries, red grapes, red sweet pepper, red-skin potato, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomato, watermelon

ORANGE AND YELLOW

It’s common knowledge that carrots promote healthy eyes and that oranges are loaded with vitamin C. Did you know that 1 cup mashed sweet potato contains 1,033% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A from beta-carotene? Plus, these bright fruits and vegetables may help your body fight off disease and promote healthy, pain-free joints.

yellow apple, apricot, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrot, corn, lemon, mango, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, yellow sweet pepper, pumpkin, rutabaga, sweet potato

GREEN

Green vegetables tend to be high in vitamins A and C, folate, and plenty of other nutrients. A cup of chopped kale has 684% of the recommended daily need of vitamin K, which helps blood clot and may contribute to bone health.

green apple, artichoke, asparagus, avocado, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, green grapes, honeydew melon, kale, kiwifruit, lettuce, lime, green onions, peas, green sweet pepper, spinach, zucchini

BLUE AND PURPLE

Purple is mighty. This royal shade comes from anthocyanins—disease-fighting antioxidants. Purple potatoes, for example, have antioxidant levels equal to kale and spinach. The pigment produces many red, blue, and violet foods, depending on which type of anthocyanin is present.

blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, fig, purple grapes, plums, prunes, purple potato

WHITE AND BROWN

Don’t rule out white foods! White and brown vegetables offer a diverse range of health benefits, including nutrients in several different, necessary categories. Cauliflower contains high levels of sulforaphane, which might help fight certain kinds of cancer. Garlic is packed with a variety of compounds studied for their anticancer properties. Parsnips are loaded with fiber—3 grams in only ½ cup.

cauliflower, dates, garlic, onion, mushrooms, parsnip, potato, turnip