It can be difficult to figure out how to eat healthy when you see new nutrition studies, with complicated scientific language, coming out every other week. How about relying on a system so easy it’s color-coded?
Natural foods often give you clues about their nutritional values if you look at their colors. Let this rainbow of a guide help you make smart food choices.
The Color-Coded Approach to Fruits and Vegetables
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Be vibrant. Vivid colors suggest that fruits and vegetables are at their freshest. You’ll enjoy more flavor and phytochemicals. These substances act like antioxidants with many positive functions, like slowing down the aging process.
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Eat plenty of greens. Green vegetables deliver vitamin K, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and more good things with very few calories. Stock up on spinach and broccoli.
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See red. Red foods are high in two phytochemicals called lycopene and anthocyanins. These are good for your heart and lower your risk for certain cancers. Add more cherries, tomatoes, and beets to your diet.
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Pick an orange. Orange and yellow foods are high in vitamin C. Start your day with cantaloupe or pineapple slices. Toss yellow peppers into a salad.
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Feel blue. Blue and purple foods also contain anthocyanins, which increase memory and overall health. Indulge in purple cabbage, eggplant, and blueberries.
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Choose natural whites. It’s important to distinguish between white bread and white asparagus. Naturally white foods have been found to boost your immune system and reduce your risk of heart disease and other conditions.
Gather all the colors of the rainbow into your diet while you enjoy a variety of natural whole foods. Counting the colors on your plate is simpler than counting calories if you’re trying to lose weight and enhance your overall well-being.
