Eat the Rainbow: Colours Mean Nutrients!

Doctors and nutritionists say that while supplements are well and good, it’s best to get your nutrients from real food. But when there’s a dizzying amount of vitamins and minerals to remember, how can you be sure if you’re actually getting all the nutrients you need?

Feeling tired all the time, having brittle hair, dry skin, poor night vision, and bruising easily are just a few ways to tell if you’re not getting the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. 

There’s an easy way to ensure that you’re getting a full plate of nutrients: eating the rainbow! Making sure you have foods on your plate of many colours means that your meal is chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals. Here are some of our favourite colours of the nutrition rainbow, and what each colour brings to your body.

Red and Pink Foods: The Anti-Ageing Powerhouses 

WebMD refers to red foods as “the new health powerhouses”, and for good reason. Tomatoes, strawberries, beets, apples, raspberries, pink pitaya, cranberry, and pomegranate are all loaded with powerful antioxidants such as lycopene that help heal damaged cells, protect against premature ageing, and aid in weight loss. Bright red and pink foods also support the metabolism, strengthen the immune system, and help cleanse the body of toxins.

They’re also loaded with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, manganese, and fibre. So if you’re looking for a food to boost heart health, digestive health, immune health, and skin health, reach for a juicy red apple or raspberry. With all that, it’s no wonder they’re called “powerhouses!”

Blue and Purple Foods: A Lower Body Weight

A survey from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study found that adults who eat more fruits and vegetables that are purple and blue in colour have reduced risk for both high blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Eating blue and purple fruits and vegetables is also correlated with a lower likelihood of being overweight.

Blue and purple foods are also anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants, which means they battle free radicals that damage cells, and soothe inflammation. So if you’re feeling the blues, than you might feel better if you eat something blue, like blueberries or blue spirulina!

Yellow and Orange Foods: Healthy Skin, Hair, and Vision

Orange foods get their colour from the antioxidant beta-carotene, which contributes to healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Yellow foods, on the other hand, are chock-full of Vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system and fight cell damage from free radicals.

Orange and yellow foods are great for lowering blood pressure, promoting collagen production, and maintaining a healthy pH balance. This all helps reduce inflammation, prevent signs of early ageing, and keep the skin hydrated and glowing. Pass the mango and bananas!

Green Foods: Detoxify and Cleanse  

If you want to cleanse your body, eat green! Green foods such as kale, spinach, broccoli, cucumber, and brussels sprouts detoxify the body, stimulate the metabolism, and are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Green foods are also rich in chlorophyll, which is a powerful antibacterial and antimicrobial which helps leach toxins from your bloodstream, help cleanse your liver, and protect from toxins in the environment.

 Furthermore, dark, leafy greens are full of antioxidants that protect against signs of early ageing, help boost your immune system, and keep you feeling light and energised. Make yourself a kale salad or indulge in this beautifully green Alkalising Smoothie Bowl.  

The more colourful your plate is, the more nutrients you’re getting, and the healthier and more vital you’ll feel. Our delicious line of Superfoods make it easy to eat the rainbow, with blends that are high in essential vitamins and minerals, protect the immune system, give the body energy, boost metabolism, aid in digestion, and more. Check out our line of Superfoods today, so you can be sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay active and healthy.