“Eat The Rainbow”
I’m pretty sure you will have heard this said before…?
I decided to talk about this today because I find myself saying it A LOT lately and I feel it would be helpful to explain why it’s such a go-to phrase for healthcare and nutrition professionals.
It sounds a bit surreal or fantastical but eating the rainbow has the power to, quite literally, infinitely benefit our health. It’s actually a remarkably simple premise - that a plateful (or two) of naturally colourful array of whole foods is a sign of a diverse selection of nutrients and, eaten daily, those foods can both promote and sustain a long, healthy life.
“The beauty of colorful fruits and vegetables is nature’s way of advertising the phytonutrients, or special, healthy chemicals, they contain” (Dr Mark Hyman, 2018)
Essentially, the colour of a plant signals different beneficial compounds within it, with each colour group representing naturally protective and healing substances. The brightest ones tend to be the most nutrient-dense (except perhaps when it comes to garlic and ginger). So if we eat an assortment of colourful plant foods on a daily basis, we can reap the benefits of numerous phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that support optimal health.
So what are some of these specific nutrients and their benefits?
Blue-purple signals the presence of anthocyanins in foods like eggplants, beetroot, blueberries, red cabbage and purple potatoes. Anthocyanins have been reported as having the capacity to lower blood pressure, improve visual acuity, delay cellular aging, reduce cancer cell proliferation, inhibit tumour formation, prevent diabetes, lower the risk of CVD modulate cognitive and motor function. Plus they’re also reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial activity and may even slow the onset of Alzheimer’s - you name it, they do it!
Green indicates the presence of phytochemicals like sulforaphane, isocyanates and indoles, which are anti-carcinogenic and detoxifying. Many leafy green veggies are part of the Brassica family, which includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy, arugula, kale, cauliflower etc…
Orange denotes that the compounds alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are present, as can be seen in foods like carrots, pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Alpha-carotene protects against cancer and benefits skin and eye health whilst beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A an antioxidant within the body.
White-pale green occurs thanks to compounds called allicins, which have powerful anticancer, anti-tumour, immune-boosting and antimicrobial properties. These are present in garlic, onions, leeks and others. In alternative medicine, allicin is said to protect against the health issues like atherosclerosis, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Many of these same foods contain antioxidant flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol that can support immune health.
Red indicates potent antioxidants such as lycopene, found in tomatoes*, bell peppers, cranberries and cherries to name a few, that may do everything from fight heart disease, breast / prostate cancer to decrease the risk for stroke and macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in people aged 60 and older). Actually, I should note that asparagus and guava also contain a good amount of lycopene - which is proof that you can’t judge every book by its cover! (*I do just want to mention that cooking tomatoes can make lycopene more bioavailable - the reason being that cooking softens fibre and lycopene binds to fibre)
Yellow-green indicates a food contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are especially beneficial for the eye health and may help protect the heart against atherosclerosis. Vegetables in this group may not always appear yellowish. In addition to yellow summer squash and orange bell peppers, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, peas and even avocados all contain these powerful nutrients**
In part, my inspiration for this newsletter came from Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s ‘Feel Better, Live More’ podcast episode #159 with Dr Mark Hyman, a world-renowned functional medicine practitioner. Their conversation, entitled, “Getting Real About Food” is basically a deep dive into concepts like food is medicine, personalised nutrition and the apparently unnecessary conflict between the many diet ‘tribes’ which really resonated with me - if you’re interested, LISTEN HERE.
Dr Hyman also talks about his new book, ‘The Pegan Diet: 21 Practical Principles for Reclaiming Your Health In A Nutritionally Confusing World’. In effect, the message is that food is medicine. According to Dr Hyman, “Despite the title, the Pegan diet is an un-diet—a simple set of principles blending science and common sense into guidelines for promoting health, weight loss and longevity that can be easily adapted to any philosophical or cultural preferences."
And what are the basic guidelines?
*Eat unlimited amounts of non-starchy vegetables like salad leaves, peppers, asparagus and carrots (75% of your plate by volume) and up to 1/2 cup of starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, yams and butternut squash per day
*Eat lean protein (25% of your plate) from animals such as organic pasture-raised chicken, wild salmon, or grass-fed beef; or up to 1/2 cup of low starch beans per day, such as black-eyed peas and lentils
*Eat 1/2 to 1 cup of whole, unprocessed grains, such as black rice or quinoa, per day
*Avoid processed foods, sugar, gluten and most dairy (if you can't go without dairy, Hyman advises sticking with nutritionally dense varieties such as butter, ghee, and goat or sheep yoghurt and cheese)
"The foundation of any healthy way of eating… is to make it plant-rich” so Hyman says. I’m inclined to agree.
Many of us spend years in a cycle of eating processed foods, especially during times of pressure or emotional strain. Obviously it can take time to break out of this cycle, but once we use biology (not willpower) to break free from the shackles of ultra processed food, our bodies do actually crave real, whole foods. I am proof.
Without wishing to sound boastful, I can tell you with all honesty that I walk straight past cake and pastry counters without a second glance. Those foods don’t look like food to me and I don’t crave them. I definitely don’t want or need the fillers, additives, excessive sugars, fats, salts and other measures that adulterate the natural goodness of real food. Of course, upon switching to predominantly eating real, whole foods it takes time for these nutrient powerhouses to infiltrate our system and for us to really ‘feel’ their benefits. It’s crucial to be gentle and patient with yourself during the transition.
So when you’re next at the local market or browsing the produce aisle in the supermarket, some of the best, if not simplest advice, is to stock up on the full spectrum of colours of fresh produce to provide your body with an abundance of the many and varied beneficial plant compounds. Try adding a couple of extra veggies to your evening meal, have another piece of fruit at breakfast - instead of the glass of orange juice, have an actual orange, don’t be fearful of healthy fats and wherever possible ‘hunt down’ quality protein sources. It all adds up.
**Adapted from ‘Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?: More than 100 Delicious Recipes’ - Dr Mark Hyman, 2019
Please share this short article if you found it helpful 💛
#makinghealthyourlifestyle
