The True Health Benefits Of Eating A Rainbow

This article was written by Colin Rose, a Senior Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine, who has been writing on health science for over 30 years.

Plant foods do not just give us vitamins and minerals – they provide us with highly valuable ‘phyto-chemicals’. These are natural compounds that plants create as they grow – partly to create energy from the sun, but also to protect themselves from damage caused by excessive solar exposure or from insects.

Many of these phyto-chemicals are called polyphenols. We are discovering that these provide us with a range of important health benefits – from a reduction in the risk of certain cancers, to stronger hearts, improved immunity and as a result healthier ageing.

Many of the most powerful of these phyto-chemicals and ones that create the colors in plants. Here is a summary of these color micro-nutrients and what the latest science shows:

Plant Color	Foods Where You Find Them	Researched Health Benefits
Blue and Purple	Blueberries, eggplants/aubergines, beetroot, purple grapes, currants, and plums	Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant - reduced risk of some cancers; improved heart, gut and cognitive health/ healthy aging
Red	Red apples, tomatoes, red bell peppers, raspberries, cherries and strawberries	Anti-inflammatory: A lower risk of heart disease and of some cancers (may reduce breast and prostate cancer risk) and improved cognitive function
Yellow/Orange	Carrots, oranges, onions, ginger yellow and orange bell peppers, garlic, corn grapefruit and yellow watermelon	Anti-oxidant: A lower risk of heart disease and of some cancers; maintained healthy vision; and a stronger immune system
Green	Broccoli, kale, green peppers, kiwi, salad greens, beans, cabbage, asparagus and spinach	Anti-inflammatory: A lower risk of some cancers; healthy vision; and strong bones and teeth

 

The Power Of Synergy

Every one of the colorful plants we have listed has its own health benefits, but when they are combined, the effect is often multiplied – 2+2= 5, 6 or even 7.

That’s why health experts constantly advise us to eat a rainbow. And at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day.

To help I have provided two resources:

1 A link to a food plan that is based on extensive research from top universities over many years.

See: The Delay Ageing Food Plan – Delay Ageing (acceleratedlearning.com)

2. A link to DailyColors – a new supplement that includes over 16 of the most extensively researched polyphenols derived from plant colors. It is an easy way to add the benefit of plant colors to your daily diet. Especially when only 1 in 10 of us even reaches 5-a-day.

Go to: Daily Colors – Daily Colors (dailycolors.com)

There is no doubt that a mainly plant based diet strongly supports your health – but as you will see from the food plan, you certainly don’t have to go vegan or even vegetarian – unless for ethical reasons.

Mainly plant based is the phrase to remember!