The Rainbow of Foods

Since March is nutrition month it is a good time to talk about the rainbow of foods and the benefits they offer. Not only do fruits and vegetables offer a variety of colors to our diet, but many of our traditional fruits and vegetables come in different colors. Take for instance carrots, typically they are orange, but one can also find them in yellow and purple. Different colors offer different benefits. Read on to learn more about the unique colors some of our traditional foods come in, and what advantages those colors give to our bodies.

Healthy Tip Tuesday is brought to you in partnership with Trinity Health Systems.

Potatoes can also come in the colors of purple and red, aside from their brown and white.

Kiwi is often seen as green, but now when going to the store look for the yellow version.

Grapes are not only red, green, and purple but also pink.

Everyone associates broccoli with green, but there is also a purple variety

So what are some of the benefits this wide range of the rainbow gift the body?

• Purple- boost urinary tract health, memory function, and promote healthy aging
• Red- packed with Vitamin C and A, potassium, and antioxidants
• Yellow- decreases various cancers, improves immune function, promotes eye health

Easier said than done…

• Eat a beautiful breakfast. Try a green smoothie, oatmeal topped with red berries or a scramble filled with red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or other colorful veggies.

• Pick salads. Large, colorful salads are the perfect way to incorporate lots of colorful veggies and fruits.

• Liven up lunch. Veggie sandwiches and wraps (including lettuce wraps) and soups, stews, and chili can help get a balanced selection of colorful foods for lunch.

• Make vegetables the main dish. Try new recipes for dishes vegetable stir-fries, vegetable curries, and Buddha bowls.

• Make a rainbow meal. Try creating a meal that uses every color — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, and brown. This could help kids practice learning their colors as well as healthy eating.