Have you ever heard the expression ‘eating the rainbow’? It is gaining popularity, and more and more nutritionists and health experts are suggesting having ‘the rainbow’ on our plates.
The rainbow diet is a colorful diet. It encourages to consume fruits and vegetables that contain all of the rainbow’s colors. Each vegetable and fruit offer different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When you get into the habit of adding variety to your diet, you reap the benefits of a healthy immune system and healthier body.
Fruits and vegetables can be separated into five color categories – red, purple (or blue), green, orange and white (or brown). Each color can tell you what vitamin or nutrient is in the food.
RED – rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Tomatoes, papaya, and grapefruits are high in lycopene.
PURPLE or BLUE – contains the antioxidant anthocyanin which gives them the blue color. Anthocyanin-rich foods include blueberry, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, eggplant and purple cabbage.
GREEN – are rich in phytochemicals such as carotenoids, saponins, and indoles, which provide many health benefits including lower blood glucose levels. Green vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, spinach, celery, lettuce and bok choy, were particularly beneficial.
ORANGE – are rich in carotenoids like beta-carotene that is converted by our body to vitamin A. Carrots, butternut squash, yellow peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes are some examples.
WHITE fruits and vegetables such as cauliflower, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and banana, are natural sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
For a healthy diet, freshly prepared vegetables and fruits are better than processed ones. Make sure you eat a rainbow of colorful vegetables and fruits each day. If you do not feel like eating a bowl of fruits or vegetables, there is always the possibility of making a delicious smoothie.
Fiber
One of the benefits of consuming vegetables and fruits is the intake of fiber, which is a type of carbohydrate that the human body cannot digest or absorb. Fiber also helps to control blood sugar. Foods that are high in fiber take a longer time to digest and don’t spike blood glucose levels like sugars and starchy foods. Importantly, fiber binds cholesterol and prevents cholesterol from entering the bloodstream, actually lowering cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber binds water and forms a gel, keeping you full for a longer period of time. Apples, strawberries, carrots, some vegetables, strawberries – to name a few – are rich in soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber assists in moving foods through the digestive tract. It is found in dark leafy vegetables, whole wheat, raisins, barley, nuts, cabbage and much more.
Fiber is listed under carbohydrates in Nutrition Fact labels. As fiber does not raise blood sugar level, you can subtract this number from the total carbohydrate content.
How much fiber do you need? Diabetics are recommended to consume 25 to 50 grams of fiber daily. In addition to vegetables and fruits, you can take fiber supplements to add more fiber to your diet.
Make a Meal Plan
An effective meal plan should be tailored to your medical conditions and eating habits. A good starting point is a “three meals and three snacks” plan to even out food intake during the day. Eating too much at one meal will cause blood sugar spikes. On the other hand, not eating regularly can cause unwanted drops in blood sugar.
If you are taking diabetes medications, the timing of meals and snacks needs to be coordinated with the timing of insulin injections, medications, and blood glucose tests. Regularity is crucial. This includes the same dose of insulin or medications at the same time every day and eating the same amount of healthy foods at the same time every day.
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