What makes a rainbow so beautiful? The bright vivid colors are what most people would say! Did you know that some of the best nutrition can be found in foods whose colors look a lot like what you see in a rainbow? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple…
Eating a rainbow of colorful food helps your body get a complete range of nutrients. Nutrients are vitamins and minerals that are important because they help your body work to be the very best it can be! They help you grow strong and can keep you from getting sick. Sugary snacks and drinks don’t provide the important nutrients or fiber for your body to function properly.
Fiber is a natural part of plant foods and it helps keep your body's system clean and running smoothly. It comes from things like the skin and seeds of fruits and vegetables, or the outer kernel of a piece of rice. There are two kinds of fiber - soluble and insoluble, and both are very important.
You’ll know a certain food is a healthy choice if it looks colorful and fresh as if it was just plucked from the ground or picked from a tree (some candy is colorful, but that doesn't count!).
The color of your food can tell you a lot about its nutritional value. Take a look at some of the amazing things fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables can do for you:
- Red fruits and veggies help keep your heart strong
- Orange fruits and veggies help keep your eyes healthy
- Yellow fruits and veggies help keep you from getting sick
- Green fruits and veggies help make your bones and teeth strong
- Blue and purple fruits and veggies help your memory
Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Dip
- Choose your favorite fruits (berries, pineapple, kiwi, apples, oranges, etc.) and cut them into equal-size chunks.
- Thread them onto wooden skewers.
- Dip them in Greek yogurt sweetened with a little bit of raw honey.
Veggies and Hummus
- 1 can (400g / 14oz) cooked chickpeas [retain the liquid from the can]
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Optional to decorate: more chickpeas, paprika, and fresh herbs
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients except the olive oil and liquid from the can in a blender and blitz until smooth. Drizzle in the oil a little at a time and continue to blend until it has all combined.
- If the hummus seems to be too thick, add a little of the retained chickpea liquid from the can.
- Serve with crudités such as carrots, cucumber, peppers, celery, and sugar snap peas.
Lisa Audy is a Certified Nutritionist at ClubSport Fremont in Fremont, CA.
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