Are you eating the rainbow?
Learn how to get all those colors on your plate!
“I totally regret eating healthy today”
- said no one ever!
I think it is important for you to take a quick moment and think about what you have eaten in the last few days, now reflect on what colors were those foods?
Did you get something red, green, or maybe purple on your plate?
It is probably rather shocking to find out that you are probably eating a fairly bland and beige diet.
Why eat so many colored foods?
To reduce the risk of chronic disease
To improve your mood.
To optimize health and overall function
When we consider eating a full spectrum of color on our plate we are allowing our body to absorb much needed nutrients from a large variety of foods. Seeking out foods like fruits, vegetables, specific whole grains, nuts and legumes give you thousands of different phytonutrients that serve so many functions in your body!
If you take the time to understand a bit more what each color can do to heal your body, you can begin to heal certain imbalances with your food intake and start to heal.
Who doesn’t want that, especially know that you can do this with food! You gotta eat, right?
Let’s talk color!
Red
Red is the Root! This color is supporting your physical body and organs. It grounds us and makes us feel safe.
Red foods are going to help add fiber, minerals and vitamins to your daily intake.
Supports the Immune system: Red-colored foods tend to be high in vitamin C, which supports adrenal health and immunity.
Red-colored foods: apples, beets, cherries, currents, goji berries, cranberries, red peppers, strawberries, watermelon, radishes, red cabbage, red lentils, tomatoes
Orange
Orange supports your Flow! Creativity, emotions and even relationships. Then you think flow think fluidity so our kidneys, colon, and reproductive organs..these organs work hard to keep the flow of our body going.
Supports Reproductive health: Eating orange-colored foods abundant in carotenoids like beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin may help lower the risk of reproductive issues like endometriosis or even delay ovarian decline. Carotenoids are also found within the ovaries and the sperm to support fertility.
Orange colored foods: Apricots, carrots, mangos, orange bell peppers, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pumpkin, turmeric, yams
Yellow
Yellow is the color of positive emotions, happiness and optimism. This color is going to help restore balance
Supports your Digestion: Eating too many of the processed yellow foods, like breads, baked goods, and processed cereals, can extinguish our digestive fire and increase our risk for blood sugar regulation issues.
Yellow foods: lemons, ginger, and grapefruit, chickpeas, bananas, corn, golden beets, pineapple, yukon potatoes, yellow lentils, quinoa
Green
Green is the color of nature and expansion!! Growth and breath and circulation. Think about how you feel when you are in nature or you take a full deep breath, it is ground and expanding to be in the space.
Supports you Cardiovascular health: Green foods like leafy greens are rich in nutrients such as folate, vitamin K, and naturally-occurring nitrates that make them healing and expansive for the heart and blood vessels.
Green Foods: avocados, broccoli, arugula, beet greens, green apples, celery, chard, cucumbers, kale, green leafy vegetables, pickles
Blue-Green
Blue/Green colors bring Truth, authenticity, and speaking your voice creating a since of calm and clarity
Supports your Thyroid health: Blue-green foods like algae, sea plants, and even spirulina contain minerals such as iodine and selenium, which nourish and support the function of the thyroid gland.
Blue/Green foods: sea vegetables, seaweed, spirulina, chlorophyll
Blue-Purple
Purple foods are going to guide your intuition! It helps create opportunities for reflection and supports our brain cognition and memory.
Supports your Cognition and mood: Blue-purple foods like berries and grapes have been shown to help with better brain function like learning and memory, as well as improving mood and calmness.
Blue/Purple Foods: blueberries, acai berries, black beans, figs, blackberries, eggplant, olives, plums, prunes, purple cabbage, purple asparagus, purple kale, purple onions
How do you bring these colors into your diet? Here are some tips!
Pay attention when you go to the grocery store and intentionally look for those colors that are not in your diet. You can even take a day or two and track what you are eating and then go find the colors that you are lacking!
Try to rotate colors, if you seem to consistently eat the same foods, try to go outside your box and try other colors. For example, maybe you buy the purple cauliflower instead of the traditional white variation. Think about beans and lentils, there are lots of different colors.
Drink Tea! Teas tend to be loaded with colors, and it is a simple way to add those colors to your daily intake!
Include multiple colors on your plate, be intentional and assign yourself 2-3 at each meal to start with and add more as you go.
Assign yourself a new color of food each week!
Explore the grocery store the next time you go! Make it an adventure to make your food colorful and nutrient dense. This is an incredible opportunity to expand your color palette and heal your body at the same time.
Have fun and enjoy introducing the rainbow into your day!!
A few quick thoughts…
- Join me to learn more about your health! The journey can be challenging so why not have support! Click here to book your consultation with me!
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excellent advice, beautiful presentation, thank you, D!