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Health professionals love to say that you need to "eat the rainbow," meaning you should eat vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors—and for good reason. The color of these foods can indicate the bioactive compounds they contain because many of these compounds are also pigments. While most of them have an antioxidant potential, which is great in itself, each compound also offers more specific benefits.
Here is what to expect from each colour:
Here is what to expect from each colour:
Blue and purple vegetables, fruits and berries
Anthocyanins - These pigments give plants their vibrant blue, purple and often also red colors. When consumed, they help delay cellular aging and slow down aging processes. Additionally, anthocyanin-rich foods are considered to be among the most important contributors to antioxidant intake.
- Examples of food soucres: aubergines, red cabbage, blueberries
Resveratrol - Though colorless, this compound is found in foods rich in anthocyanins and helps protect the cardiovascular system and neurons.
- grapes, blueberries, bilberries
Green
Green vegetables get their color from chlorophyll and contain compounds like sulforaphane, isothiocyanates, and indoles, which inhibit the effects of cancer-causing substances.
- broccoli, artichokes, leafy greens
Yellow
Similar to orange vegetables, yellow ones owe their color to carotenoids. But they are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are great for eye health.
- yellow bell peppers, zucchini, corn
Orange
Beta carotene - Associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, supports good eyesight in low light, and is needed for endocrine health.
- carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes
Beta cryptoxanthin - May help prevent heart disease.
- tangerines, oranges, peaches
Red
Lycopene: An antioxidant that fights inflammation, supports cardiovascular health, and may protect against prostate cancer.
- tomatoes, watermelon, bell pepper
Betalains: Known for their possitive effect on cardiovascular health and cholesterol levels.
- beets, amaranthus, pitaya
White
Anthoxanthins, quercetin, and allicin are compounds believed to have anti-tumor properties.
- parsnips, onion, cauliflower.
P.s. this article does not cover all of the bioactive compounds that can be found in fruits and vegetables of different colours, only some of the major ones.
Last updated: 21.09.2024.
For more information on the bioactive compounds and the rainbow principle, take a look at these articles:
British Heart Foundation. Should you eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables? Available:https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/5-a-day/colourful-foods
Crupi P, Faienza MF, Naeem MY, Corbo F, Clodoveo ML, Muraglia M. (2023) Overview of the Potential Beneficial Effects of Carotenoids on Consumer Health and Well-Being. Antioxidants (Basel). 12(5):1069. doi: 10.3390/antiox12051069. PMID: 37237935; PMCID: PMC10215867.
Cömert ED, Mogol BA, Gökmen V. (2019) Relationship between color and antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables. Curr Res Food Sci. 2019;2:1-10. doi:10.1016/j.crfs.2019.11.001
McManus K. (2019) Phytonutrients: Paint your plate with the colors of the rainbow. Harvard Health Publishing. Available: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/phytonutrients-paint-your-plate-with-the-colors-of-the-rainbow-2019042516501
Milton-Laskibar I, Martínez JA, Portillo MP. (2021) Current Knowledge on Beetroot Bioactive Compounds: Role of Nitrate and Betalains in Health and Disease. Foods. 10(6):1314. doi: 10.3390/foods10061314. PMID: 34200431; PMCID: PMC8229785.
Minich DM. (2020) A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow" [published correction appears in J Nutr Metab. 2020:5631762. doi: 10.1155/2020/5631762]. J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:2125070. Published 2019 Jun 2. doi:10.1155/2019/2125070
Shweta Sharma, Viveka Katoch, Satish Kumar, Subhrajyoti Chatterjee. (2021) Functional relationship of vegetable colors and bioactive compounds: Implications in human health, The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, Volume 92, 108615, ISSN 0955-2863, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108615.
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