Did you know that eating a range of colorful foods, or “eating the rainbow,” is one of the most healthful ways you can eat? Keep in mind, the food needs to come from the earth to see those benefits… so let’s skip the Froot Loops.

Eating a range of natural colors is a way to ensure a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy goodness for your body. These colorful foods are built to strengthen your immune system, fight illness, boost your energy, make you strong, and foster beauty and vitality.

Eating with health benefits in mind can help get you excited to eat healthy food! When I add lots of colors on my plate, I like to think about all the beauty-promoting benefits.

I like to think about how the nutrients will brighten and clear my skin, make my hair shiny and full, help my body digest, feed the good bacteria in my gut, and give me energy.

A fresh, colorful meal will make you feel great. And you can make some seriously yummy dishes with your rainbow of healthy options!

Here’s what you’re getting with each color of the rainbow:

RED

High in: antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, flavonoids, lycopene, reservatrol

Good for: boosting your immune system, fighting illness and allergies, fighting cancerous cells, healthy heart, healthy skin

Foods: strawberries, red bell pepper, tomatoes, cherries, radishes, cranberries, raspberries, pomegranates, chili peppers, beets, red apples, watermelon

ORANGE

High in: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, potassium, fiber

Good for: boosting your immune system, eye sight, promoting cellular health, regulating blood pressure

Foods: orange, cantaloupe, orange bell pepper, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, peaches, nectarines, apricots, persimmon

YELLOW

High in: potassium, vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin A, magnesium, fiber

Good for: digestion, reducing risk of stroke, immune health

Foods: bananas, yellow carrots, yellow peppers, squash, papaya, mango, corn, pineapple, lemons

GREEN

High in: lutein, folate, vitamin K

Good for: cellular health, detoxification, energy, blood and bone health, boosting immune system

Foods: broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, leafy greens, celery, artichoke, cabbage, kiwi, green apples, avocado, edamame, pear, cucumber, green bell pepper, lime

BLUE

High in: antioxidants, reservatrol

Good for: immune system, beautiful hair, skin, & nails, reduces oxidative stress

Foods: blueberries

PURPLE

High in: antioxidants, vitamin A, flavonoids, reservatrol

Good for: healthy skin and blood vessels, anti-cancer, anti-aging, reducing oxidative stress, fighting inflammation

Foods: purple sweet potato, eggplant, purple artichoke, purple cabbage, purple carrots, blackberries, plums, figs

WHITE/BROWN

High in: allicin, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, fiber

Good for: immune system, managing cholesterol, heart health, reducing yeast and bad bacteria, anti-cancer

Foods: garlic, cauliflower, leeks, onions, parsnips, mushrooms, jicama, potatoes, beans/legumes, seeds, coconut, ginger

On your next grocery store trip, challenge yourself to grab every color from the produce section and build your meals throughout the day to include them all.

A really great way to sneak in all the colors is in smoothies, soups, and salads.

For example, my smoothies usually include apple (red), carrot (orange), banana (yellow), greens and celery (green), blueberries (blue/purple), and chia seeds (brown)! Now that you know the benefits of these, think about how powerful a glass of my green smoothie would be for your body every day!

If you come up with an awesome colorful recipe, I would love to see it or even feature your recipe on my blog. Shoot me a message with your colorful recipes!

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