Have you heard someone recommend you “Eat the rainbow?” This is because each color of fruits and vegetables has different health benefits. Get in the full spectrum of colors every day to get what you need for optimal health and wellness. Fruits and vegetables get their pigment from plant chemicals called phytonutrients. There are over 8,000 different phytonutrients. One fruit can contain 30 or more phytonutrients, and each phytonutrient has a disease-fighting capability.
To get the full benefit of all these phytonutrients Journal of Nutrition recommends eating 5 to 10 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily to significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases and meet the nutrient requirements for optimum health.
Fruits and vegetables are also packed with antioxidants. When we consume antioxidants, they act like little scavengers looking for free radicals to neutralize. The body makes these free radicals as a by-product of turning food into energy, post-exercise, and exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, and sunlight. Free radicals damage DNA and genetic material. By consuming foods with antioxidants, we are giving our body a fighting chance it needs to combat daily exposure to free radicals. Antioxidants also improve immune system response, promote cell-to-cell communication, alter estrogen metabolism, convert to Vitamin-A, repair DNA damage caused by smoking or a toxic environment, cause cancer cells to die, and detoxify carcinogens. Just imagine what else these plants may do that is still undiscovered!
Below we’re breaking down foods by color and superfood power PLUS a list of antioxidant superstar foods to help you eat the rainbow and promote ultimate wellness.
EATING THE RAINBOW
Red: High in carotenoid lycopene. They are known to prevent DNA damage and protect against prostate cancer, heart disease, and lung disease.
Find it in: tomatoes, strawberries, cherries, apples, beets, watermelon, red onions, pomegranates, red cabbage, red grapes, elderberries, and Protein Smoothies Mixed Berry, Protein Smoothie Strawberry Banana, Strawberry Designer Whey, Gut Support Gummies, Immune Support Gummies, Energy Gummies, Beauty Support Gummies, and Designer Plant.
Orange and yellow: Dense in beta cryptothanxin. Thought to support intracellular communication and may help prevent heart disease.
Find it in: carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, bananas, pineapple, tangerines, mango, pumpkin, apricots, butternut squash, acorn squash, peaches, tangerines, cantaloupe, and corn, Protein Smoothie Tropical, Protein Smoothie Strawberry Banana, Energy Gummies, and Designer Plant.
Green: Sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles are cancer-blocking chemicals rich in green fruits and vegetables that stop the action of carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds).
Find it in: limes, spinach, green melon, avocados, asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, collard greens, green tea, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, Mood Support Gummies, and Designer Plant.
Blue and purple: Anthocyanins found in purple pigmented plants have been shown to slow aging and help the heart by stopping the formation of blood clots.
Find it in: blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, purple grapes, eggplant, plums, lavender, purple cabbage, Immune Support Gummies, Protein Smoothies Mixed Berry, and Sleep Support Gummy.
White and brown: Allicins are found in the onion family. Allicins are well known for their anti-tumor and antiseptic properties. Other foods in this group contain antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol.
Find it in: cauliflower, garlic, onions, leeks, daikon radish, and mushrooms.
ANTIOXIDANT SUPERSTARS
Turmeric
Fun ways to get it in: try turmeric tea, yellow curry, Turmeric Support Gummies, mustard, and adding turmeric root to your Designer Wellness smoothie.
Blueberries
Fun ways to get it in: Protein Smoothie Mixed Berry, add blueberries to your Designer Wellness smoothie, snack alone, or use Designer Plant as your go-to protein powder which contains blueberry powder.
Pomegranates
Fun ways to get it in: dive into a fresh pomegranate, add pomegranate juice to your smoothie, pomegranate popsicles, or try Gut Support Gummies.
Beets
Fun ways to get it in: slice up fresh beets in your salad, eat roasted beets, and add beet juice to your Designer Wellness smoothie and Gut Support Gummies.
Ginger
Fun ways to get it in: enjoy ginger tea, add ginger to soup, mix ginger into stir-fries, or mix into your Designer Wellness smoothie.
Vitamin-C
Fun ways to get it in: Try Immune Support Gummies and Vitamin C Gummies or enjoy oranges, kiwis, bell peppers, and strawberries.
Reaching for the rainbow every day is a great way to boost the health-enhancing power of your diet. Designer Wellness makes eating the rainbow easier with its products full of fruit and vegetable extracts and antioxidants. Check out our products in the blog above and mix them with your rainbow of favorite fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices!
Resources:
HARVARD HEALTH BLOG: Phytonutrients: Paint your plate with the colors of the rainbow
Harvard: The Nutrition Sources- Antioxidants
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Ginger C. Cochran, MS, RDN, CDCES, ACSM-CEP
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
IG: @nutritious_ginger
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gingercochran
"When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way." Wayne Dyer
Benefits of Eating the Rainbow
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