By Vaidya Smita Pimple
Eating colourful food means: Eating balanced medicine daily. We had always heard from our ancestors that adding colourful fruits and vegetables in our meals will help us live longer and healthier. They knew that colour in our food is nature's healing code. Bright coloured fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, nutrients and antioxidants; wherein plants produce them naturally as they protect plants from viruses, bacteria and bugs. Each colour provides various benefits as they protect us from chronic diseases, cancer, heart diseases, vision loss etc.
1) Red colour fruits and vegetables: They contain lycopene, which is good for heart, lungs, prostrate, brain function. It decreases risk of breast cancer. Eg: Tomatoes, beets, strawberries, cherries, apples, red pepper, red onions.
2) Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables: They contain beta carotenoid and curcuminoids. Beta carotenoid is responsible for healthy hair and skin and also good for muscles. Curcuminoids is anti-inflammatory. Eg: Carrots, papaya, mango, pumpkins, yellow pepper, banana, pineapple, peach, apricots, oranges and turmeric.
3) Green fruits and vegetables: They contain isothiocyanates. Green fruits and vegetables are good source of folic acid, vitamin K, fibre and antioxidants. They help prevent cancer and aid in weight reduction. Eg: Green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, fresh green herbs, avocadoes, kiwi.
4) White and brown fruits and vegetables: They contain flavonoids and allicin which helps reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, improves bone health and reduce risk of cancer. Eg: onion, garlic, mushroom, cauliflower.
5) Purple fruits and vegetables: They contain anthocyanine, which reduces risk of stroke, helps lower blood pressure and heart disease. Eg: Eggplant, figs, purple cabbage, plums, concord grapes.
Modern nutrition calls this the “Rainbow Diet Principle”, whereas Ayurveda always followed colour-based balancing. Thus, colours in food are not just visual beauty—it represents specific healing compounds.
