Nutrition Tip #2 - Eat a Rainbow

By Rono - ISSA-CFT, WITS-CPT

One of the keys to optimal nutrition and health is to "eat a rainbow" that is where the pot of gold is. Yeah, yeah I know you can't eat a real rainbow. What I am referring to is by eating fruits and vegetables of a variety of different colors, one can get the best all-around health benefits.

The colors in fruits and vegetable cells are called "phytonutrients", which are basically plant nutrients. Fruits and veggies are a very important component to overall health as they are whole foods that were created by nature. By consuming fruit and vegetables you are guaranteed to get a diverse amount of essential vitamins and minerals.

Here is a short list of fruits and veggies categorized by color that you should include in your daily diet. Kudos and good for you if you are already.

Red
Apples, Cherries, Cranberries, Pink Grapefruit, Rasberries, Red Bell Peppers, Beets, Tomatos, and Pomergrante.

Orange / Yellow
Apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, lemon, oranges, nectarines, sweet potatos, corn, mangoes, and squash.

Green
Broccoli, celery, artichokes, asparagus, cucumbers, green apples, honeydew, avacodos, brussel sprouts, and zucchini.

Blue / Purple
Eggplant, plums, grapes, blueberries, prunes, and raisins.

White
Bananas, cauliflower, dates, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, potatos, and white corn.

Recommendation
Eat minimum of 2-3 God-made colored food at each meal, snack included. Eat a rainbow often. Every meal should include fruits and vegetables because of their fiber and nutrient densities. So make every meal a rainbow. If your meal is colorless, add some color with fruits and veggies.

Be Well.

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