Foods that are pink include dragon fruit, beets and radishes, all delicious choices when it comes to eating pink food in favor of an eat the rainbow diet. Try my lemonade dragon fruit smoothie for one example of a pink-centric food.
Including foods that are pink in your daily diet to guarantee a rich intake of vitamin C and other vital nutrients typically found in pink-colored foods. Incorporating naturally pink foods, including my pink smoothie recipe below, and along with a diverse array of colors, provides nutritional advantages and promotes a balanced diet. Pink foods are also fun and pretty - check out my 18 healthy pink foods for a party post for recipes you can serve at your next pink-themed event.
Jump to:
Eating the rainbow including naturally pink foods gives your body a broad array of essential nutrients. In my how to eat the rainbow post, I explain the benefits of eating red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple and white foods each day. I also provide a free rainbow food chart there that is useful inspiration.
How Pink Foods Are Healthy
Pink foods contribute essential nutrients to a balanced diet. Fruits with a pink hue, such as pink grapefruit, offer vitamin C for immune support and skin health. Similarly, pink vegetables like radishes provide dietary fiber, promoting digestive well-being. The nutrient composition varies, but the diverse compounds in these foods contribute to a flavorful and wholesome nutritional profile.
How They Get Their Color
The vivid pink color in certain foods comes from betacyanin and natural pigments called anthocyanins. These water-soluble compounds, found in fruits like berries and vegetables like beets, create the pretty pink tones and can range from shades of red to shades of purple based on pH sensitivity.
A List of Common Pink Foods
Pink-fleshed apple
Pink-fleshed apples have a crisp texture and a sweet-tart taste. They are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Popular types include pink pearl and hidden rose apples.
Pink banana
Pink bananas have a creamy texture and a sweet flavor with a hint of raspberry. They are a good source of potassium and vitamin C. Popular types include the pink velvet banana.
Beet
Beets are root vegetables with a sweet and earthy flavor. They contain antioxidants like betalains and are rich in folate. Popular types include red beets and golden beets.
Dragon fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, has a mildly sweet taste with a texture similar to kiwi. It is rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. Popular types include pink-skinned with white flesh and pink-skinned with red flesh.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a citrus fruit with a tangy and slightly bitter taste. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains antioxidants like flavonoids. Popular types include pink grapefruit and white grapefruit.
Guava
Guava is a tropical fruit that is a lovely pink shade and has a sweet and fragrant aroma. It is high in vitamin C and dietary fiber. Popular types include red guava and white guava.
Pink lemon
Pink lemons have a tart and citrusy flavor, similar to traditional lemons. They are known for their pink flesh and are a good source of vitamin C. Popular types include eureka pink lemon.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate is a fruit with juicy, ruby-red arils bursting with a sweet and tart flavor. It is rich in antioxidants, particularly punicalagins and anthocyanins. Popular types include wonderful and hicaz.
Pink potato
Pink potatoes have a creamy texture and a subtly sweet flavor. They are rich in potassium and vitamin C. Popular types include la ratte and adirondack pink potatoes.
Radish
Radishes are crisp and peppery root vegetables. They are low in calories and a good source of vitamin C. Popular types include red radishes, black radishes, and daikon radishes.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a refreshing and juicy fruit with a sweet taste. It is high in vitamins A and C and contains hydrating properties. Popular types include seedless watermelon and yellow watermelon.
Unusual Naturally Pink Foods
Ruby chocolate
Ruby chocolate achieves its natural pink hue without any additional food coloring. Produced from fruitier and unfermented cocoa beans, it undergoes acid treatment. With lower sugar levels compared to traditional milk or dark chocolates, ruby chocolate is deemed a healthier option. Additionally, it boasts high levels of antioxidants and essential minerals such as magnesium, fiber, and iron, contributing to overall well-being.
Dulse
Dulse is a red seaweed that can have a reddish or pinkish hue. It has a chewy texture and a savory, slightly salty flavor. Dulse is rich in minerals like iron and potassium.
Nori
Nori is a type of red seaweed commonly used to wrap sushi. While it is traditionally dark green when dried, variations in processing may result in pinkish hues. Nori has a mild, slightly sweet taste and is a good source of iodine.
How to Naturally Dye Foods Pink
Don't use artificial food dyes full of chemicals. Use natural foods to color your edibles instead. To make food pink, add a puree of raw or steamed beets or fresh pink dragon fruit to any drink, batter or dough. Or even use a quality beet or dragon fruit powder.
Expert tip: Processed foods dyed pink artificially are not part of the eat a rainbow diet. Foods that are artificially colored pink include Candy Floss, a type of cotton candy, pink marshmallows, pink frosting, pink lemonade, sodas and Gatorade, and pink cereal.
FAQS
Pink pasta, beet hummus, pink guava, and anything made with dragon fruit or watermelon including my watermelon salad, dragon fruit smoothie and more.
Many foods can be made pink using pink ingredients such as dragon fruit, watermelon and guava. I have a watermelon slushie, watermelon popsicles, dragon fruit smoothie, and more.
Be sure and visit the USDA for more detail on the nutrition make up of fruits and vegetables. And remember to run any specific medical questions by your own doctor, as well as to get confirmation that my information works for you as I am not a medical professional.
More Color Themed Foods
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Foods That Are Pink: Lemonade Dragon Fruit Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pink dragon fruit, frozen chunks
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 date, pitted
- ½ cup milk more if needed to blend
- ½ cup milk ice cubes
👉Want to Save This Recipe?
Instructions
- Prepare Dragon Fruit: Either use store bought frozen pink dragon fruit chunks, or peel and chop the pink dragon fruit into chunks, and freeze overnight.
- Soak Dates: Soak the pitted dates in just-boiled water for about 5 minutes to soften them.
- Blend Ingredients: In a blender, combine the ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Pour the lemonade dragon fruit smoothie into a glass and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Leave a Reply