Healthy Aging- Learn about the Rainbow Diet

What is the Rainbow Diet?

The Rainbow Diet is built around the concept that healthy foods tend to be brightly colored foods. Good nutritian and health result from consuming a variety of colored foods and avoiding (or limiting) foods that are white. The colors in fruits and vegetables are a reflection of the special phytonutrients they contain. When you follow the Rainbow Diet, you try to balance a full range of colors on your plate. Knowing about the Rainbow Diet can help you make good food decisions. Picking the more brightly colored foods and making sure that all colors are represented in your meals can improve your diet and nutritian. Dr. Eric Braverman uses the Rainbow Diet in his books about aging. He has specific recommendation for specific aging related issues where you can get more information.

A simple guideline to improve your nutrition

If your health is good and you just want to stay healthy and age well, you may want to keep a few facts about the Rainbow Diet in your head when you shop for food and when you prepare your meals. Adding color can improve the nutritianal value of your diet.  Check out the summary of the properties of colored foods below.

• Red- Red foods contain pigments that are also antioxidant compounds that can protect your body from the affects of free radicals. Red foods for you to look for include cranberries, raspberries, cherries, red beans and beets.
• Orange- Orange foods have high levels of carotenoids which are anticancer and antioxidant in nature. Examples of orange foods include sweet potatoes, oranges and orange bell peppers.
• Yellow- Yellow fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of phyrochemicals, caratenoids and bioflavinoids. Food examples are suash, artichokes and yellow bell peppers.
• Green- Green foods contain chlorophyll which has anticancer and detoxification abilities. Examples of green foods include kale, spinach, broccoli and green bell peppers.
• Blue- Blue foods contain anthocyanins and phenolies. These phytochemicals show promise as antinaging agents. Examples of blue foods are blueberries and grapes.
• Indigo/Violet- Indigo/violet foods are similar to blue foods and contain many antioxidant compounds. Examples of violet/indigo foods are prunes, blackberries and plums.

To complement the rainbow diet foods you add to your daily consumption, replace the white foods with healthier and more colorful variations.

Replace: white rice with brown rice

white sugar with brown sugar or honey

white potatoes with sweet potatoes or yams

white flour with whole grain flour

salt with spices

If you want more information about the Rainbow Diet, start with the links. If you are not ready to dramatically change your diet but would still like to improve your nutritian and eat more healthy then just select more colored foods and add them to your meals and snacks. It is simple and easy to do.