5 Reasons a Colorful Plate Matters
I’m sure you’ve heard if you want to be healthy, you need to make your plate colorful. Dietitians have been encouraging people to “eat the rainbow” for years (most aren’t talking about Skittles, although this dietitians believes even Skittles have a place in a healthy diet!)
Why do dietitians advocate for a colorful plate? Although diet culture will make you believe eating colorfully will ensure weight loss and lower calorie intake, I want to assure you that is not the reasoning behind this common dietitian recommendation. Here are some better reasons to choose lots of colors!
Gut Health
Eating a variety of foods increases the good bacteria in your gut. The more good gut bacteria you have, the better. Even better, the more diverse your gut bacteria, the stronger your gut microbiome. Eating a variety of foods also continues to allow you digestive tract to use all of those enzymes and processes needed to digest a variety of foods. This improves overall digestion and helps to maintain tolerance to different foods such as beans and dairy. Just like any other muscle, the gut needs to be exercised regularly to maintain its strength!
2. Immune Health
Speaking of gut health, about 70% of your immune system is in your gut! That’s a huge percentage. A healthy gut microbiome supports an overall healthy body. There couldn’t be a better time to remember this than during a pandemic!
3. Nutrient Variety
The more diverse your diet is, the more nutrient variety you’re going to be getting. This in turn will decrease your chance of having a nutrient deficiency. This goes for all food groups- not just fruits and veggies. Dietitians promote eating a variety of starches, grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, fats, and dairy. This is because each individual food has a unique nutrition profile. Some foods may be high in calcium while others don’t contain any calcium at all. If you only ate chips, you may end up with a vitamin C deficiency. On the other hand, if you only ate oranges, you might end up with a protein deficiency. A healthy diet truly is a balanced diet. All foods have a place and provide nutritional value.
4. Reduced Inflammation
Vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables provide an array of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances found in foods that fight against oxidation and free radicals that causes cell damage and inflammation in our bodies. Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (a precursor for vitamin A), & lycopene (vitamin A-like substance), anthocyanin (a phytochemical found in blue/purple foods) are all sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants can be found in a wide variety of foods like berries, tomatoes, olive oil, and citrus!
5. Enjoyment
Food is meant to be enjoyed! And eating the same 15-20 foods is….not enjoyable. It’s actually quite boring. A colorful plate excites the senses. It adds vibrancy that our eyes are drawn to. When our eyes are drawn to foods, our salivary glands begin working to gear up for good digestion. When we eat a variety of foods we’ll also experience greater complexity in the texture and taste of our meals. This can help us slow down, eat mindfully & appreciate the foods we eat. When we enjoy and feel good about the foods we eat, we’re more likely to stick to stable eating patterns & meet our bodies daily nutrient needs.
Seeing a colorful diet as a way to increase nutritional value in your diet, nourish your body, and keep eating fun is a much more sustainable than if you just look at it as a way to eat fewer calories. And may I reiterate, this is speaking to a variety in A L L foods - not just fruits and veggies! So don’t be afraid to branch out, try new things and make your plate diverse.
Desa