You may have heard the phrase “eat the rainbow”, referring to eating fruits and vegetables of all colours, just like a rainbow. But do you know why it’s important for you?
Plants contain compounds called phytonutrients which give plants their colour, taste and aroma, while promoting good health. Phytonutrients also protect plants from germs, bugs, the sun and other threats.
Each colour indicates an abundance of specific nutrients which benefit different areas of our health. This is why it’s important to eat a variety of colours.
Now, you might be tempted to find a few foods you or your kids like and focus on those, and it can be easy to fall into routines, but the truth is our bodies thrive on variety – a rainbow of nutrients.
Advice to “eat the rainbow” is often used with kids, and while kids especially need diversity of food in their diets, adults are no different.
If you struggle to eat a diverse range of colourful fruits and vegetables, Nutrient Rescue's superfood powders may help. Our whole food powders cover the red, purple, and green spectrum, helping to fill the nutritional gap for you.
Read on for a summary of the benefit of each colour, and some ideas around how to bring more colour into your diet.
How to eat the rainbow
Try to incorporate two to three different coloured fruits or vegetables at every meal and at least one snack. While you don’t have to eat every single colour every day, try to get them into your diet a few times a week.
Breakfast:
- Add colourful veg to an omelette, such as mushrooms, red capsicum and spinach.
- Add a few extra ingredients into your favourite smoothie.
- Get on board with the trending breakfast bowls, full of yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds.
- Whip up a breakfast sandwich (or burrito), by adding some fresh plants, egg, and grated cheese.
- Spice up your usual mixed salad with some extra goodies such as charred corn, carrot, kidney beans and chickpeas. There are heaps of recipes to be found online. Our current favourite creators are Alex's Kitchen Story, Cookie and Kate, and Two Raw Sisters.
- Chicken with roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, peas and corn is a crowd favourite!
- Make a pot of homemade soup with a variety of vegetables.
- Try a delicious goat cheese salad with pickled beets, arugula, avocado and pecan nuts.
- Pair spaghetti with tomato sauce loaded with veggies such as mushrooms, zucchini and onion. Or, try a new spaghetti recipe with zucchini noodles (zoodles).
- An apple with peanut butter
- Red capsicum slices with hummus
- Grapes and cheese
- Green smoothie or juice. Check out one of our favourite recipes here
- A banana
- Blueberries and yoghurt
- Broccoli, carrot and dip
- Edamame pods
The opportunity to include various fruits and vegetables into our diet are endless, it just takes a little bit of inspiration and planning. Make use of seasonal selections in store – not only do they tend to be more affordable, they tend to be fresher and last longer. Of course, if what you want isn’t in season then canned or frozen is a great option too.
We've got some great recipes if you're looking for some inspiration.
Happy rainbow eating!
