
We've all probably heard of "eating the rainbow", right? We know it's good for us. We know it's what we're "supposed to do."
Have you ever stopped to wonder WHY?
In my health coaching training module this week, Dr. Deanna Minich gave a powerful and information-packed lecture about the science behind eating the rainbow. If you want to explore in depth, I highly encourage you to visit her website HERE.
Dr. Minich said several things that really resonated with me, and I was motivated to look at my own eating patterns to see if I am "missing" some colors.
Before I share that, here are some takeaways from this lecture.
Food is energy.
Food is nutrition.
Food is health and healing.
Food is medicine.
Food is connection to nature and the planet.
Food transmits information to our cells, specifically to our DNA. Colorful, plant-based foods are rich in nutrients of all types and their pigments are medicinal.
On her website and in her book, The Rainbow Diet, Dr. Minich links each color of food to systems in the body. It's truly fascinating. Be sure to check out THIS LINK for several free downloads that can help you track and consider the colors of foods you are eating.
After the lecture, I thought about the foods I typically eat throughout any given week to see if I could identify some colors that I don't always get in.
--> I eat the same breakfast nearly every day, and it includes blueberries (blueberries have a pigment that supports learning and memory - yay!) so I have BLUE covered.
--> I eat an apple nearly every day for lunch so that covers RED - red apples are a good anti-inflammatory and are in season during allergy season, making them a really good choice - yay!
--> I also eat a banana nearly every day, either in my oatmeal or for a snack. YELLOW foods support digestion and are higher in serotonin than other foods - yay!!!
--> I probably have avocado, broccoli or Brussels sprouts at least a couple of times a week, but I could do better and be more consistent with eating GREEN foods. Green foods are high in folates which support the circulatory system.
--> ORANGE foods are a color that I could be more intentional about eating. I eat carrots, but probably not even every week. I also eat sweet potatoes, but not consistently. I don't really eat oranges or drink orange juice. Orange foods are connected to reproductive health and our hormonal system.
Dr. Minich also talks about BLUE GREEN foods and LAVENDER/WHITE foods. Nori (seaweed) is the only blue green food I eat and that is only very occasionally when I make or go out for sushi. I eat onions and garlic pretty often in the food I eat at home, and also occasionally cook with cauliflower, all of which would count for WHITE foods.
Roasting a huge pan of mixed vegetables is one way I've found to get in almost all the colors. I eat these with rice, quinoa or in tortillas. Making a big batch on the weekend and eating from it during the week is a good way to eat the rainbow.
What colors do you eat most often? What colors are hard for you to fit in? Leave a comment to share.
Here's my plan going forward: I am going to buy a bag of mixed greens every week and try to eat a small salad every night with dinner. I am not a big salad eater. I don't know why, honestly. Maybe it seems like a lot of work? This weekend TJ bought a bag of salad and I whipped up an oil-free maple/miso/tahini dressing and just had the salad mix with dressing on it - no extra veggies on top. It was SO good that I ate two bowls of it! So I think the key will be having that amazing dressing made up and on hand. I'll keep you posted! I need to eat more GREENS!
I know I need to eat more orange. I don't really like carrots and sweet potatoes. I'll have to do a little experimenting to know what orange foods work for me. I actually need to eat more of all of the colors. I am incorporating more fruits and veggies into my diet this year. I do get daunted by the prep work of eating fresh produce. I want to get on a schedule where Sunday afternoons I cut up veggies and fruits, make dressings, cook anything that can be pre-cooked for the week. I think doing this prep on Sundays will help me eat better for the rest of the week. Wish me luck in starting this new habit!! :)