Eat the RainbowEnjoy the many colors of Plant-based

Nutrition

Eating clean doesn’t have to be boring! The pigment of the food you eat indicates its nutritional value.

Check your daily “color intake” to find all your necessary nutrients.

REDRed fruits and vegetables are high in Vitamin A, fiber, antioxidants, quercetin, vitamin C, and lycopene. Lycopene can help maintain prostate health. Quercetin has been shown to prevent the loss of cartilage.

Try: cranberries, raspberries, red peppers, beets, red onions, red potatoes, strawberries, rhubarb, tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit

Orange Orange foods also contain high amounts of Vitamin A. The old wives’ tale that carrots improve your vision has been proven, so eat your carrots!

Try: oranges, tangerines, nectarines, apricots, cantaloupe, mangos, papayas, peaches, butternut squash, carrots,pumpkin, sweet potatoes, kumquats

Yellow Insert some cheerful yellow into your diet for an influx of cancer-fighting carotenoids and skin-strengthening bioflavins.

Try: lemons, Buddha’s hand (native to China and the lower Himalayas), pineapples, yellow pears, yellow squash, yellow tomatoes, yellow peppers, yellow figs, corn, yellow/golden beets

Green Green foods contain high amounts of vitamins A, C and K, iron, and smaller but still valuable amounts of other nutrients like chlorophyll, lutein, zeaxanthin, and folate. Did you know that green veggies are also high in calcium?

Try: bok choy, mesclun, turnip greens, kale, watercress, broccoli, collard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach

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Blue & Purple Two phytochemicals: anthocyanins and resveratrol, contribute to the bluish-purple character of many fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins are anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic, helping in lowering the risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Resveratrol has disease preventing and anti-aging properties.

Try:blueberries, blackberries, figs, currants, grapes, plums, olives, prunes, elderberries, acai berries, maqui berries, raisins, eggplant, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, purple carrots, purple-fleshed potatoes

White/TanCertain white foods actually boost the body’s immune system and help in avoiding weight gain. (Avoid processed foods like white bread.)

If you incorporate dairy into your diet, stick with low-fat (1%) or fat-free milk, yogurt, and some cheeses. These are packed with vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus. Fat from dairy is needed to transport and absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

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Try: pears, jicama, onions, garlic, mushrooms, ginger, Jerusalem artichokes, kohlrabi, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, fennel, white corn

BlackThe high pigment content of black foods means they contain more antioxidants than light-colored foods. Plus, they contain powerful phytonutrients that aid in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Try: black lentils, black rice, black garlic, shiitake mushrooms, black beans, black tea, black chia seeds

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