Want to shift to a healthy lifestyle but still dependent on unhealthy food habits? We hear you. It is very common for us to ignore good eating habits in order to balance our lifestyle choices, and this is where the confusion begins. Along with a balanced diet, one quick and easy method to meet our body’s health demands without falling prey to misconceptions and diet trends is to follow a ‘Rainbow Diet.’
So, what is a rainbow diet? And what are the benefits of eating the rainbow? Just as the name suggests, a rainbow diet plan consists of foods of all the different colour families. The concept is simple. When you include colourful vegetables and fruits in your diet, you also incorporate certain micronutrients that support your health and fight biological stress with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Simply put, when you eat the rainbow, you’re automatically exposed to the goodness of eating healthy.
Let’s learn more about the many colours in your rainbow meal palette and see what wonders they can bring to your life!
The Colour Palette – Benefits Of Eating The Rainbow
Red
The red colour present in fruits and vegetables is recognised for its ability to prevent heart disease, some types of cancer, and even sunburn. A dark red colour comparable to that of beetroots is known to have powerful oxidants with anti-inflammatory and vascular-protective qualities. Similarly, moderate drinking of red wine has been related to a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease. Due to their high dietary fibre content, red fruits are also recommended for gut health.
Orange
Orange foods contain phytonutrients which affect cholesterol levels. If you want to increase your vision and immunity, eat a lot of orange foods. It also contributes to the reproductive health of both men and women. Its brilliant colour is due to beta-carotene, a kind of vitamin A that functions as an antioxidant.
Yellow
Yellow foods are helpful for maintaining a healthy digestive tract. It is quite beneficial for your skin, mood, eyes, and hair. The availability of high levels of Vitamin C and collagen, both of which are known to have anti-ageing qualities, is an added advantage. Put some sunshine in your stomach if you really want to get rid of dull skin and slow hair growth.
Green
We are all aware that greens are important. But ever wondered why? Green represents the vital elements of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins B, C, E, and K, as well as numerous minerals in the rainbow diet. It aids in the protection of your cardiovascular system against oxidative stress. Be it getting rid of the harmful toxins or clearing up bad breath, there’s nothing some leafy greens can’t fix!
Purple-blue
The purple-blue colours in your food include phytochemicals that can better your health. These two colours have identical plant nutrients, which gives them their characteristic colour. These colours not only contain anti-ageing and disease-fighting capabilities, but they also aid in battling cholesterol, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. These foods are also thought to promote immunity and the efficiency of other antioxidants found naturally in the body.
White
The rainbow diet chart of white foods is pretty basic. This light colour is high in nutrients and a good source of calcium, proteins, and healthy bacteria. They include health-promoting ingredients that help decrease total and LDL cholesterol levels and improve blood pressure.
How To Follow The Rainbow Diet
It is what you eat and the way you eat that can heal, brighten, balance, and strengthen areas of your body that require physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment. It’s usually a good idea to eat more fruits and vegetables, but when you get specific about the hues, it’s a game changer. Choosing the appropriate colours can potentially shield you against Covid-19 and help you build immunity.
This is an efficient way to clean up your daily diet without imposing too many limitations. To eat the rainbow, include two or three different-coloured fruits or vegetables at each meal and at least one at each snack. And it’s just a matter of time until you’ve added 30+ different coloured fruits and vegetables to your weekly meals.
The bottom line is that eating colourful fruits and vegetables brings you one step closer to improved health. By including a diversity of colours in your diet, you are providing your body with an assortment of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that will help your health with no side effects.
Following a healthy diet plan can be daunting. If you’re looking for someone to help you on this journey, Pinch offers Holistic Meal Planning. They have a team of Food and Wellness Experts who help plan and curate your daily meals according to your dietary preferences and restrictions.