Eat the Rainbow

Why It Matters

Here is a simple idea that takes the math out of eating well: the more colors on your plate, the more kinds of nourishment you tend to get. Different colors in fruits and vegetables come from different natural plant compounds, and each one brings something a little different to the table. You do not have to track a single nutrient to benefit. You just have to reach for variety. Think of color as a friendly shortcut, and let your plate get a little brighter over time.

What to Know

Color is a clue to what is inside

The reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, and purples in produce come from natural plant compounds, and foods of different colors tend to carry different mixes of vitamins, minerals, and those helpful compounds. That is why no single vegetable or fruit does it all. A few examples: lycopene gives tomatoes and watermelon their red; lutein, found in spinach and other leafy greens, supports your eyes; and anthocyanins give blueberries and red cabbage their deep blue-purple. When you eat across the color spectrum, you cover more bases without having to think hard about any one of them.

Aim for variety across the week

You do not need every color at every meal. It works better to zoom out and aim for a range over the course of a week. If your plates tend to lean toward one or two shades, that is just useful information, not a problem to fix all at once. Adding one new color at a time is plenty.

• Reds and pinks: tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers, watermelon.
• Oranges and yellows: carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, squash, corn.
• Greens: spinach, broccoli, green beans, kiwi, peas.
• Blues and purples: blueberries, grapes, eggplant, red cabbage.
• Whites and tans: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bananas.

Easy ways to add color

• Toss a handful of berries or sliced fruit onto breakfast.
• Add one extra colorful vegetable to whatever you are already cooking.
• Keep frozen mixed vegetables on hand: they count, and they are ready when you are.
• Build a plate you would call bright before you sit down.

Bright and easy. A colorful plate does more than add nutrition. It simply looks more appealing, and that can make a meal more enjoyable. Let your eyes lead, and the variety tends to follow.

Try This

This week, treat color as your only goal. There is nothing to measure and nothing to earn. Just notice how much variety lands on your plate and where you could add one more shade.