Wellness Wednesday Tip #29: Eat the Rainbow!

     Welcome back folks! Happy #WellfieWednesday! This week we have another guest promoter of health, Dr. Andrew S. Rothschild, with a special message!

     You’ve probably heard it somewhere before: “eat the rainbow.” (I don’t mean from those annoying “Skittles” ads). Although it may sound like one of those old wives tales, there is in fact some significant health benefits to following this advice. Different colors are those colors for a reason—they contain different vitamins and minerals, often referred to as “phytonutrients,” often unique to that palette, not to mention that the color variety makes your plate look more appetizing and appealing to the eye.

Here are some examples:

Fruits and veggies of the blue/purple variety include blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, and plums, to name a few. Blueberries are considered to have the highest antioxidant properties of all foods.

Green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Examples include kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, bok choy, and cabbage

Lycopene is a major component in red fruits and vegetables, particularly tomatoes. Lycopene has been associated with risk reduction in certain cancers including prostate cancer. While some fruits and vegetables are considered to have greater health benefits when eaten raw, lycopene is one that appears to have more benefits when cooked. Cooking allows carotenoids, such as lycopene, to be better absorbed. So, enjoy that tomato sauce!

Yellow/green foods have an abundance of lutein, which is excellent for eye health. They are also high in vitamin C. Examples include kiwi, avocado, spinach, and even pistachio nuts.

Orange/yellow foods such as carrots have long been well-known to contain beta-carotene. They can also be high in vitamin C help with blood-sugar regulation, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Popular examples also include mangoes, cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and apricots

     While it certainly may be challenging to “eat the rainbow” every day, try at least to do it every week and in the meantime, get as much variety as you can.

Thanks for reading!

- Dr. Andrew S. Rothschild, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

     As always, thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures again this week and tag Andrew (@ARothschildPT), Eric (@Eric_in_AmERICa) or Patrick (@PBernerSPT) and keep the wave of healthy change going!