Eat your greens (and reds, yellows, purples, oranges, whites)

Most of us remember being told to eat up our greens as children – and it seems all that nagging was justified – we all know about the benefits of eating broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts. The good effects of leafy greens have been mainstream since the days of Popeye, whose muscles would bulge whenever he downed a can of spinach.

But by focusing on greens alone, we could be missing out on a host of health benefits recently attributed to eating all the colours of the rainbow.

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting all brightly coloured foods are healthy. I am referring to nature’s colours – in fruits and vegetables. Each colour represents a different blend of nutrients, with different benefits.

According to the British Heart Foundation, many of these nutrients are antioxidants – they are thought to protect against the “free radicals” that cause cell damage in our body. Diets rich in colourful fruits and vegetables are associated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease and reduce your risk of stroke and some types of cancer (according to the NHS).

The fibre from fruit and vegetables can help maintain a healthy gut, preventing constipation and other digestive problems, as well as feeding beneficial gut bacteria.

The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine recommends “eating a rainbow” of seven to nine portions of different-coloured fruit and vegetables per day – of which only two or three should be fruit; the rest vegetables. But according to the latest data from Public Health England, only 31 per cent of adults, 18 per cent of children and eight per cent of teenagers meet the Government’s recommendation of just five portions of fruit and veg per day.

So, what’s in the rainbow?

Blue/purple – contain heart-healthy antioxidants, good for blood pressure, among other benefits
- Examples: blueberries; blackberries; red cabbage; plums; pomegranate; aubergine; red onion.
Yellow/orange - important for eye health and have anti-inflammatory properties
- Examples: peppers; lemons; oranges; mango; papaya; sweet potato; pumpkin; carrots.
Red – powerful antioxidants associated with protection against heart disease and some types of cancer
- Examples: tomatoes (cooking them, surprisingly, increases their benefit); strawberries; peppers; raspberries; red apples; watermelon; pink grapefruit; pomegranate.
Green - cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cabbage may have anti-cancer properties. Green vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin K, folic acid, and potassium – associated with lowering blood pressure.
- Examples: broccoli; cabbage; Brussels sprouts; spinach; watercress; rocket; celery; courgettes; kiwi fruit.
White – boost the immune system and may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
- Examples: cauliflower; garlic; white cabbage; Jerusalem artichokes; onions; parsnips; mushrooms.

So what is the best way to increase your fruit and vegetable intake and incorporate a rainbow of colours into your diet? Here are my top tips:

Make fruit or vegetables part of every meal or snack. For example, if you are having eggs for breakfast, consider making a vegetable omelette containing at least three different types of vegetables and serve with a large mixed salad. Or if you’re eating porridge, top it with a mixture of fruit/ nuts/ seeds.
Fill half your plate at each meal with a variety of vegetables and salad – make it pretty and colourful.
Choose dark green and purple salad leaves, as opposed to iceberg lettuce.
Add fresh fruit to green salads – pomegranate seeds, blueberries and strawberries work well.
When shopping for fruit/vegetables, check your trolley to make sure it includes all the colours and, if it doesn’t, make substitutions – perhaps swapping orange or purple sweet potatoes for white potatoes, or try different-coloured squash, cabbage, peppers and tomatoes.
Herbs and spices count – parsley, coriander and mint in salads, garlic and ginger in dressings, and a variety of spices such as turmeric, cumin, paprika and black pepper in seasonings.
Batch-cook and prep wholegrains, proteins and different-coloured vegetables at the weekend, then store in containers in the fridge, so there is always something healthy available to add to salads throughout the week.

Try this Rainbow Salad with Tangy Lime and Ginger Dressing