Food Rainbow Series - Part 3: Eating the Rainbow
Thursday, May 4, 2023
by Isis Harrison, UGA Dining Nutritional Clerical, 4th Year Nutritional Science and Psychology Double Major
You may have heard that one of the best ways to get the necessary amount of nutrients is by “eating the rainbow.” This phrase refers to having a diverse eating pattern to maintain healthy bodily function. With over 30 vitamins, minerals, and other dietary components, it is hard to keep track of what is necessary for your body’s health. A great way to simplify the process is to focus on the variety of colors on your plate.
Red
The color red is often associated with cardiovascular health in commercial products and media because of red blood cells and our red hearts. While red foods are rich in vitamins A and C, which is great for your immune system, they also contain different phytochemicals, such as polyphenols. Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, promoting long-term health. They can be found in fruits like cherries and strawberries.
Yellow/Orange
Vitamin C (found in oranges) and beta-carotene (found in carrots) are nutrients most commonly associated with orange foods. Orange foods host other vital nutrients, like carotenoids, which are pigments found in some fruits and vegetables that produce a yellow or orange color. This type of nutrient can be classified into two categories: xanthophylls and carotenes. Xanthophyll is typically yellow and can be found in foods like squash and egg yolks. Carotene is in carrots and fruits such as cantaloupe or papaya. Both of the carotenoid categories have anti-oxidative properties and are correlated with promoting eye health.
Green
Green foods are multifunctional; they help with immunity, gut health, eye health, and brain health. Dark green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard have high concentrations of vitamin A, C, E, and K. While vegetables such as Bok choy and broccoli are rich in multiple B-vitamins, such as B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folate).
Blue/Purple
While blue isn’t a common color in nature there are many nutritious benefits found in blue and purple foods. These colors have a high concentration of vitamin C and flavonoids which can help support immunity. They also contain antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties, such as ellagic acid and quercetin. Ellagic acid can be found in grapes and pomegranates, while quercetin can be found in berries like cranberry and blueberry.
Brown
While brown might not be your go-to when adding color to your plate, there are many benefits of adding it to your plate. Whole grains are a brown necessity in the diet. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can aid in digestion and improve gut health. Grains in general are home to many B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and selenium.
White
Dairy products such as milk and yogurt are good sources of protein and hold nutritive properties that promote bone health, such as Vitamin D, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. If you don’t eat dairy, bone health supporting nutrients can be found in foods like tofu, which is high in calcium and manganese.
References
Pandey, K. B., & Rizvi, S. I. (2009). Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2(5), 270–278. https://doi.org/10.4161/oxim.2.5.9498
Cosme, F., Pinto, T., Aires, A., Morais, M. C., Bacelar, E., Anjos, R., Ferreira-Cardoso, J., Oliveira, I., Vilela, A., & Gonçalves, B. (2022). Red Fruits Composition and Their Health Benefits-A Review. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 11(5), 644. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050644
Thomas, S. E., & Johnson, E. J. (2018). Xanthophylls. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 9(2), 160–162. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmx005
Mirsane, S., & Mirsane, S. (2017). Benefits of ellagic acid from grapes and pomegranates against colorectal cancer. Caspian journal of internal medicine, 8(3), 226–227. https://doi.org/10.22088/cjim.8.3.226