Eating the Rainbow is Real

Image by serbogachuk (Envato Elements)

I counsel companies and brands about how to leverage nutrition in today’s food and beverage marketplace. I was giving a talk (virtually of course) on phytonutrients when a corporate client asked me “is that eat the rainbow thing true?” with a tone of skeptical disbelief. Well, the answer is eating the rainbow is real when it comes to health. As a scientist, I like to geek out on all the phytonutrient research. As a communicator, I like knowing a simple message of “eat your colors” is a good one for consumers. Either way, that rainbow thing is real.

In terms of basic nutrition, colorful plant foods help give us a mix of prebiotics, probiotics, fiber and phytonutrients along with various micronutrients like vitamin C. It turns out the pigmented compounds that bring the colors to said plants are often the very bioactive compounds that confer the health benefits. The mechanism could be one of anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, or perhaps feeding the good bugs in our gut. Take anthocyanins that give blueberries that blueish purple color. Published research shows they promote desirable microbes in our gut.

Of course, I’ve had people tell me (people including my own mother) something or other about not liking blueberries. I can’t relate, but hey, not a problem. Try all the different berries until you land on one or two you like. Try them raw, frozen, canned, jarred, dried or whatever way you can get them. The point is make it doable.

In my case, I had frozen wild blueberries in a smoothie just a couple of days ago. And to be totally honest, those blueberries were just the beginning of my rainbow ways. Just within the past week I have happily consumed the following colorful plants in no particular order:

cranberries

butternut squash

swiss chard

jalapeno

carrots

strawberries

banana

mint

turmeric

sumo

avocado

tomato

corn

black, red and kidney beans

shiitakes

cilantro

green chilis

orange and red bell pepper

garlic

kale

cacao nibs

apricot

arugula

purple stokes potato

mango

artichokes

cotton candy

(Wait what? Just making sure you are still reading.)

okra

apple

raisins

cauliflower

chickpeas

peas

spinach

You are possibly thinking I could never do that in one week. Again, not a problem. Do a quick back-of-the-napkin list (or use your digital list tool of choice if pen-to-napkin is too old school) to see what colorful plants you are already eating. Next, think of 2 or 3 more you like and in theory could be eating if they were just in your kitchen. Add those in. Everything good? Now repeat that exercise in a week.

Eat plant plants and eat that real rainbow!