Learn the secret to longevity and disease-free living from the "rainbow diet"

According to a 2022 study published by the US National Library of Medicine, in 2017, consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables was associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, mortality, and improved health outcomes. improve cognitive function. You can apply the rainbow diet to achieve these benefits.

1. What is the rainbow diet?

The rainbow diet is essentially a concept that encourages people to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colors. The idea is that each color has specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide distinct health benefits.

Here are some colorful fruits and vegetables that everyone should eat regularly:

- Red

+ Fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, watermelon, pink guava, grapefruit, strawberries, cherries...

+ Main phytonutrient: lycopene (vitamin A group)

+ Key vitamins and minerals: folate, potassium, vitamin A (lycopene), vitamin C, vitamin K1

- Yellow and orange

+ Fruits and vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, bananas, pineapples, tangerines, pumpkins, corn...

+ Major phytonutrients: carotenoids (e.g. beta carotene, alpha carotene, beta cryptoxanthin), members of the vitamin A family

+ Key vitamins and minerals: fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C

- Green

+ Fruits and vegetables: spinach, kale, broccoli, avocado, asparagus, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts...

+ Main plant nutrients: Green leaves: chlorophyll and carotenoids. Cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cabbage): indoles, isothiocyanates, glucosinolates.

- Purple and dark blue

+ Fruits and vegetables: blueberries, blackberries, red/purple cabbage, eggplant, plums, elderberries.

+ Main phytonutrient: anthocyanin

+ Main vitamins and minerals: fiber, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K1.

- Dark red

+ Fruits and vegetables: radish, prickly pear

+ Main phytonutrient: betalain

+ Key vitamins and minerals: fiber, folate, magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6.

- White and brown

+ Fruits and vegetables: cauliflower, garlic, leeks, onions, mushrooms, radishes, white potatoes.

+ Main phytonutrients: anthoxanthin (flavonol, flavone), allicin

+ Main vitamins and minerals: fiber, folate, magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin K1.

2. Health benefits of the rainbow diet

Each color represents a different phytochemical and a set of nutrients that may benefit your health.

Specific benefits of each food group according to color

General benefits of the rainbow diet

A diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables helps improve overall health and prevent many diseases

- Improve cardiovascular health

Colorful foods like tomatoes, beets, and berries are packed with heart-healthy nutrients thanks to their high antioxidant content.

These antioxidants help blood vessels function properly, reducing the burden on the heart. Furthermore, compounds in colorful foods help reduce plaque buildup in the arteries, lowering cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as stroke.

- Enhance immune function

Eating lots of yellow and orange fruits and vegetables can help boost immunity. This food group is often rich in vitamins C and A. These two vitamins help boost immunity by: Vitamin C helps increase the production of white blood cells, cells that help fight infections. Vitamin A helps strengthen tissues, thereby strengthening the immune system.

- Good for digestion

Green vegetables are high in fiber, magnesium and folate - all nutrients that are important for the digestive system.

Fiber helps increase intestinal motility, supporting the smooth movement of waste through the digestive system. In addition, fiber also helps absorb water, soften stools and can help prevent or relieve constipation.

Magnesium helps regulate intestinal muscle function, helping to promote bowel movements and prevent constipation.

Folate helps the body produce and maintain new cells, including cells that line the digestive tract.

- Prevent cancer

The rainbow diet is rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients from vegetables and fruits. Antioxidants can neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals - the cause of cancer and many other chronic diseases.

Additionally, chronic inflammation can also increase the risk of cancer. Vegetables and fruits, no matter what color they are, have anti-inflammatory properties so they can reduce the risk of this "evil" disease.

- Good for eyes

Eating colorful vegetables and fruits can help improve vision and prevent eye diseases because they contain many nutrients that are good for the eyes, such as:

Beta carotene in carrots and sweet potatoes can be converted into vitamin A, preventing night blindness and other eye diseases.

Lutein & zeaxanthin in green leafy vegetables can protect eyes from light damage, prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

- Improve brain function

Red and purple berries such as blueberries, raspberries... are rich in antioxidants that help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation, thereby helping the brain function healthily and improving cognitive function.

- Against aging

Antioxidants from the rainbow diet help protect cells and fight the aging process. For example, vitamins C and E in orange fruits like citrus can support skin elasticity and help reduce wrinkles.

- Regulates blood sugar levels

The rainbow diet can help control blood sugar levels, which is especially important for people with diabetes or at risk of the condition. The high fiber and low processed sugar content of this diet are key to keeping blood sugar levels stable.

- Helps lose weight

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber. Therefore, adding more of these food groups will help you feel full for a long time, thereby eating less - especially unhealthy snacks and helping you lose weight.

Furthermore, the natural sugar in fruit also helps you satisfy your sweet cravings, reducing the risk of eating sugary snacks.

3. Suggestions for implementing the rainbow diet

To eat a rainbow, try to include two to three different colored fruits or vegetables at each meal and at least one at each snack. While you don't have to eat each color every day, try to include them in your diet a few times a week.

Here are a few suggestions for you:

- Breakfast

+ Omelette with spinach, mushrooms and orange bell pepper

+ Mango, banana and dragon fruit smoothie

+ A bowl of yogurt with blueberries, kiwi and strawberries combined with nuts

+ Breakfast egg sandwich with tomato, green vegetables and avocado

- Lunch or dinner

+ Mixed salad with green cabbage, lettuce, apple, shredded carrots, red pepper, cucumber and cherry tomatoes combined with a protein source (eg kidney beans, green beans, grilled chicken, salmon)

+ Chicken with roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and garlic

+ Homemade soup with canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, chopped carrots, white potatoes or parsley and kale

- Snacks

+ An apple with peanut butter

+ Green smoothie or juice

+ Blueberries or berries mixed with yogurt

+ 4–5 longan or lychee

There are many ways to add colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet to improve your health. However, no matter what diet you follow, you still need to provide your body with enough nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Therefore, in addition to fruits and vegetables, you still need to supplement food sources from meat, fish, eggs, rice, etc.