Colour-code your diet for health benefits
Colour is Nature’s visual cue to humans about foods that are full of nutrition and detoxifying agents. Just by picking colourful fruits and vegetables in your meal, you can increase your intake of important nutrients. Ayurveda preaches balancing the seven chakras in our body by eating the right food, and eating colour-coded food is a central part of that.
Radhika Iyer, an Ayurveda expert and yogini, lists the benefits of eating a colourful diet. “There is a reason fruits and vegetables have different, vibrant colours. They contain phytonutrients, which give them their colour, taste and aroma. These phytonutrients strengthen the plant’s immune system too, protecting them from their environment and potential diseases. For humans, phytonutrients can protect us from chronic diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, vision loss and so on.”
Decoding the benefits of each colour in our diet
Red, blue, brown, orange or green, every colour found in plants has a different part to play in our nutrition. Let’s look at their various benefits.
RED
Red plants are amazing for the health of heart and lungs. Protecting you against gene-damaging free radicals, red plants protect the prostate area as well. They are packed with phytochemicals such as lycopene and anthocyanin.
Red plants also help the circulatory system.
GREEN
Iyer shares, “Green plants are filled with iron and vitamins. These foods are rich in cancer-blocking chemicals. They are ideal to regulate heart health and balance out the body’s hormones. They also have important antioxidant groups such as catechin. Ayurveda links green to the heart chakra, and eating a colourful diet with green fruits and vegetables allows us to transform our physical energy into a superconscious form.”
BLUE AND PURPLE
Plants of this colour are the most densely-packed with nutrients, and sadly, people consume them less. They get their bright colour from anthocyanin and are linked to healthy eyes and increased immunity. These colours are also related to
the throat chakra and the third eye chakra.
ORANGE AND YELLOW
Colourful diet with orange and yellow hues are wonderful for antiinflammation. These plants have curcuminoids and beta-carotene. Plants such as the mighty turmeric get their anti-inflammation properties from these cucuminoids. Beta-carotene is essential for healthy hair, skin and muscles. “According to Ayurvedic sciences, eating fruits and vegetables of this colour nourishes creativity, identity and sensuality,”
adds Iyer.
WHITE AND BROWN
Foods of such colours have allicin, which contains antitumour properties. These can lower cholesterol levels and high blood pressure as well. These plants also have a great immune-boosting effect.
Start incorporating various colours in your diet
during different times of the day. Colour code different foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it will make you consume each colour regularly. Don’t take off the peel of apples and carrots, as they carry essential nutrients too.