Rainbow Diet, or Combining business with pleasure

Summer is the best time for culinary and sports experiments. Due to the incredible amount of berries, fruits and vegetables, we have a chance to lose weight and switch to proper nutrition. Today we offer you another interesting variant of the summer diet - the "Rainbow" diet. Its main principle is to eat as many colored fruits, berries and vegetables as possible.

When else to switch to such food, if not in the summer?

Plant foods derive their color and other unique characteristics such as smell, taste, and texture from phytochemicals. Each of these substances has its own set of nutrients and cannot completely replace the other. For example, raspberries will not replace blueberries, and carrots will not replace peas, which is quite logical.

The main rule of the rainbow diet:

Your daily diet should consist of fruits or vegetables in seven basic colors: red, yellow, orange, white, green, blue, and purple.

In this case, it is advisable to observe equal proportions of the use of each color, since otherwise you risk getting an excess of some vitamins and minerals, which is also not very good.

Red

Red vegetables, fruits and berries usually get their color from lycopene (the main function in the human body is antioxidant) and anthocyanin (plant pigment).

These flavonoids are generally associated with powerful anti-cancer and antioxidant properties, but red foods are also rich in vitamins A and C, manganese and fiber. Also, red vegetables and fruits lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and help the body cope with the negative effects of free radicals.

For example, beets have a high content of folic acid and vitamin B9, pomegranates have a lot of vitamin B, and rhubarb contains vitamin K and calcium.

Orange and yellow

Orange and yellow are beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A). Since orange is a cousin of red, orange fruits and vegetables contain similar vitamins and minerals. This group is famous for its high content of vitamins A and C (in yellow, the amount of vitamin C is usually higher than vitamin A). These foods are very beneficial for our immune system, support the health of our heart, and are beneficial for the health of our eyes and skin.

For example, apricot contains a large amount of carotene (provitamin A), vitamins P, PP, C and B1, as well as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Corn is rich in magnesium and starch, while banana is rich in potassium, manganese, vitamin B6, phosphorus, iron, calcium and magnesium.

White

Is white colorless or not? We get white vegetables and fruits thanks to the plant pigment anthoxanthin. They are not as rich in vitamins and minerals compared to colored fruits and vegetables, but when it comes to the immune system, they are second to none, as their main strength is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties! It is also worth adding here vitamins C and K, folic acid and a large amount of fiber.

Garlic and onions are essential helpers in fighting colds, soybeans are rich in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, not to mention the amount of vegetable protein found in soybeans.

Green

Green vegetables and fruits get their color from chlorophyll, which is a very powerful means of fighting cell damage. The green group is rich in fiber (especially leafy vegetables), vitamins K and C, B vitamins, and various minerals including calcium and potassium.

Green vegetables and fruits improve digestion and the functioning of the immune system, improve vision and the condition of teeth and bones, lower blood cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure in case of high levels. And eating greens every day can help fight diabetes and support heart health.

For example, avocados are high in vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, E and potassium. Edamame soybeans are rich in B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Asparagus, Brussels sprouts and peas are high in vitamin B1, iron and many other elements.

Blue and purple

Blue and purple flowers also need the help of anthocyanins (as with red vegetables and fruits), which are powerful antioxidants. But they also contain other phytochemicals and flavonoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol and ellagic acid, which enhance their anti-cancer properties. In addition to this “beneficial chemistry,” blue and purple vegetables and fruits contain vitamins C and K, manganese and fiber. In addition to antioxidant properties, the shade of blue improves memory and digestion, strengthens the heart and is a kind of youth pill.

Figs are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and blue and purple berries (blueberries, blueberries, blackberries) contain a large amount of vitamins K and E, manganese and folic acid.

conclusions

And the conclusions are very simple: summer is a wonderful time to start life anew, and you can start it with proper nutrition. Berries, fruits, vegetables and greens - all this variety, which includes the rainbow diet, not only benefits our health, but also uplifts our mood. The main thing is to keep the balance!;)