Cebu City – One of the many ways of ensuring a healthy meal is to introduce a wide selection of food especially with fruits and vegetables. With a variety of food choices, it is almost certain that you will get an array of colorful food. And it will always guarantee that the more colorful your food is the healthier it is. The term “eating the rainbow” refers to eating a variety of food in relation to the color of the rainbow. And each color has its own benefits & advantages. 

Red – Due to lycopene, eating red colored fruits and vegetables has its own health benefits like being anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, reduce risk of heart disease, and helps protect the skin. 

Orange & Yellow – Due to the chemical component of cryptothanxin, it helps with proper function, growth, and communication of our cells. It also keeps our skin and eyes healthy.

Green – Rich in cancer-blocking chemicals that prevent action of carcinogens. Green-colored food keeps our bones, teeth, and nails healthy. It also gives us the benefit in helping our eyesight. 

Blue & Purple – Contains the chemical component of anthocyanins. It aids in improving our memory, helps reduce blood pressure, helps fight cancer, and keeps us looking young.

White & Brown – Contains allicin, that helps lowering cholesterol, aids in bone strength also. 

It is important that the awareness of eating a variety of colors is beneficial to our body. And that people shouldn’t only just consider the taste of food but should prioritize first the health benefit of food. Taste shouldn’t overpower your decision to eat colorful fruits and vegetables. It may not be easy for some to start doing so, but absolutely it will do more good than it will do harm. // NO I Gabriel M. Flores, RND