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    Home » Drinks » Smoothies » How To Eat The Rainbow (Food Color Chart)

    How To Eat The Rainbow (Food Color Chart)

    Mar 5, 2021 · Updated: Mar 5, 2022 by Dee Dine · Affliate links disclosure.

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    It's important to eat the rainbow because different colors indicate the presence of different nutrients. When you eat the rainbow, you boost immunity, energy, support skin and vision and brain, keep bones and teeth healthy and more. I have listed the nutritious benefits of each food by color, so you can start eating the rainbow today.

    Eat the Rainbow

    How to Eat the Rainbow

    It's easy if you just eat a different food each day that represents each color of the rainbow. Below I give you a list of foods and the color they represent so you can plan. However here are a few example recipes you can eat to make it easier.

    What Are Three Ways You Can Eat the Rainbow?

    If eating healthy is easy, you are more likely to do it. So to eat the rainbow, here are a few meals that will make it easy to eat the rainbow.

    1. A Smoothie. Choose a fruit or veggie that represents each color of the rainbow, add it to a blender with a liquid and drink! I provide you with my own fruit rainbow smoothie recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post. Or visit my Ultimate How to Make A Smoothie Guide with a free downloadable smoothie chart.

    2. A Fruit Salad. You can again choose fruits and veggies (Sure, veggies are fine in a fruit salad) that represent each color of the rainbow, toss them in a salad and eat!

    3. A Rainbow Sandwich. Choose fillings that reflect each color of the rainbow, and put them a roll, your favorite bread or even roll them in a salad or collard leaf.

    And here are more ways to eat the rainbow: Roast a selection of rainbow vegetables, add rainbow veggies to a stew, and even create a rainbow ice cream bar so each person must build an ice cream sundae that has a fruit from each color of the rainbow.

    What is Meant By Eat A Rainbow?

    Eating the rainbow is a way of eating a balanced diet based on colors. It is also sometimes called "eat your colors". Foods of a similar color tend to have similar nutrients.

    By eating a few examples of each color of the rainbow each day is a way to eat a fairly balanced and nutritionally sound diet. [Science Source]

    Why Is It Important to Eat the Rainbow?

    Because eating the rainbow is the best way to get all the nutrients your body needs each day. A balanced diet ensures that each of your body processes is getting the nutrition it needs to function at it's optimum level.

    Basically we should be eating red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and white plants daily. Each color fruit or vegetable contains some essential supporting nutrient.

    Eating A Rainbow of Raw Foods is Even Healthier

    Now, eating the rainbow means eating an assortment of foods, that can be cooked or not. However, there is a general consensus in the scientific community that eating less cooked foods leads to higher nutrition. [Science Source]

    That's because when a food is cooked, the nutrition is generally diminished.
    However, moderation in life is the key to happiness, no? So you decide on how much cooked and raw food to incorporate into your daily diet.

    Now, you didn't think I was going to leave things here, right. Of course you are curious now about what color food does what nutritionally. And I've got your back!

    A Food Color Chart Of What You Should Eat, Color by Color

    Here are just a few benefits per color:

    1. RED: has lycopene, which protects again disease and contributes to eye and heart health. EX: Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, watermelon [Science Source]

    2. ORANGE & YELLOW: has beta carotene, which supports eyes, skin, immune system. EX: Carrots, peppers, yellow cabbage, persimmon, cantelope [Science Source]
    3. GREEN: has lutein, which protects against disease, supports immune system and much more. EX: leafy veggies, green peppers, kiwi, avocado, celery [Science Source]

    4. BLUE & PURPLE: has flavonoids and anthocyanins which boost brain power, and the immune system. EX: Blueberries, blackberries, purple cabbage [Science Source]

    5. WHITE & NEUTRAL: Many essential nutrients missing in other foods. EX: Apples, pears, bananas, zucchini, cucumbers, mushrooms, onions, dragonfruit, coconut (Nutritional science categorizes a food color by the flesh, not skin..) [Science Source]

    Easiest Way to Eat The Rainbow

    Is with a smoothie! Just throw in 3-4 cups of veggies and fruits and you have half your 5-a-day or more covered!

    I have smoothies on my blog to help you out or try my 4-Ingredient Smoothie & Juice Book! It will really help you make rainbow smoothies fast.

    4-Ingredient Smoothies and Juices Cookbook by Dee Dine

    Try My Free Rainbow Smoothie Recipe

    To start you off this second, I have also provided you with a healthy rainbow-based Berry Zucchini Cilantro Smoothie Recipe below.

    You can use store-bought yogurt or make your own coconut yogurt (my recipe here). Or swap the yogurt for a decadent cashew cream (try this recipe).

    Eat it alone or top it with a rainbow of fruits as I did! Enjoy a rainbow day on me!

    Want to share on pinterest? Perhaps use this image:

    A platter of fruits with a smoothie to depict how to eat the rainbow.

    I invite you to keep up with me on: Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Food Gawker | Twitter

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    Eat The Rainbow Smoothie Platter

    Eat The Rainbow Smoothie

    Eat the Rainbow to gain all the nutritional benefits that fight disease, decrease inflammation, boost immunity, perfect skin and vision and more. My Eat the Rainbow Smoothie contains foods of every color of the rainbow so for at least one meal you'll be eating every color of the rainbow, and gaining all those benefits.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free
    Servings 8
    Calories 60 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups strawberries (pink, red)
    • ¼ cup blueberries (blue, purple)
    • ¼ cup carrots (orange, yellow)
    • 1 cup zucchini (peeled to represent white)
    • ¼ cup baby spinach (green)
    • 2 cups dairy free yogurt
    • pinch of salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Blend all the ingredients, pour in glasses or into a serving platter and top with a rainbow array of fruits.
    • For optimum nutrition, eat the same day it is blended.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 12gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 18mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 9gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1456IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 255mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword eat the rainbow, eat the rainbow smoothie
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Dee

    Chocolate and ginger enthusiast. Dog and bird lover. I'm probably chopping chocolate in my Washington DC kitchen right now. More about Dee and Green Smoothie Gourmet »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda

      February 21, 2022 at 10:34 pm

      Do you think I could make a cashew yogurt with your cashew cream recipe & and a probiotic capsule? Sounds so delicious!!

      Reply
      • Dee Dine

        February 22, 2022 at 9:57 am

        Yes! Plus I have a cashew yogurt recipe here that might help

        Reply
        • Linda

          February 22, 2022 at 6:40 pm

          Awesome!! Thank you!! I finished the 6 smoothies challenge, yesterday. Delicious!!

        • Dee Dine

          February 23, 2022 at 12:29 pm

          Congrats!

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    Dee Dine of Green Smoothie Gourmet

    I'm Dee, sharing delicious, science-centric recipes using nourishing plant-based foods laser-focused on nutritional impact. No matter your tastes, I hope you'll find a recipe to love. About Dee →

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