Ways The Color Of Your Food Can Affect Your Health

"Taste the rainbow" — a phrase most of us have likely heard more than once. While this slogan is associated with a candy brand, it is a piece of advice most of us would benefit from following, at least when it applies to more nutritious foods. Just about any color of the rainbow can be found in fresh food, especially produce. These colors are all the result of different chemicals and nutrients, and there are so many unique colors of fruits and vegetables out there, ranging from a bright grapefruit to a deep blue plum. Therefore, it is no surprise that there are many unique nutritional benefits that can come from consuming these different pigments.

In order to get the greatest nutritional benefit from our fresh food, it is important to make sure as many colors as possible are represented in our diet. This diversity of color and nutrients ensures minimal gaps in our nutritional needs. After all, what is life without color?

It has been found that red and pink fruits and vegetables contain significant amounts of chemicals such as antioxidants and other nutrients that can help ward off chronic diseases such as cancer, according to WebMD. Vitamin C is a particularly potent antioxidant against cancer, and it is also one of the more commonly found antioxidants in red produce. Luckily, there is a plethora of red produce in season at different times throughout the year. Some of these options include strawberries and rhubarb in the spring, cherries and tomatoes in the summer, raspberries and radishes in the fall, and beets and apples in the winter (via the U.S. Department of Agriculture).

Carotenoids have also been found to be beneficial in the fight against cancer, and this pigment also gives many yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables their color, according to Oregon State University's Micronutrient Information Center. Some carotenoids are converted to vitamin A, which helps fight free radicals that could otherwise lead to cancer, according to a 2021 review in Nutrients. This study analyzed the role of vitamin A in the fight against breast cancer, and the findings uncovered the potential usefulness of vitamin A as a therapy in the development and progression of the disease.

Vitamin C has a long list of superpowers, and a benefit that can be included in that list is the ability to improve the health of your skin — so this is another area in which it's important to turn to foods high in vitamin C, usually of red, orange, or yellow color. Some of the important functions behind healthy skin are the synthesis of collagen and protection from damaging UV rays, and vitamin C is important for both, according to a 2017 article from Nutrients.

In addition to vitamin C, vitamin B also has a significant place in the maintenance of healthy skin. This benefit has been found through the discovery that a deficiency of vitamin B, particularly B12, has been associated with conditions such as atopic dermatitis, acne, and vitiligo, reported by a 2015 review in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. In order to avoid such conditions, look for green fruits and vegetables such as avocado, peas, asparagus, and spinach to ensure adequate intake of Vitamin B (via Real Simple).

Most of us are likely familiar with the advice to start chugging orange juice if you feel you're coming down with a cold. However, what exactly makes oranges, well, orange, and why do they help our immunity? According to MedicalNewsToday, the answer is beta carotene: the chemical that gives fruits and vegetables their orange or red color. In the body beta carotene is converted into vitamin A, which is an antioxidant that can help boost the immune system. In addition to oranges, beta carotene can be found in many other brightly colored fruits and veggies such as carrots, grapefruit, peppers, and pumpkin.

Another well-known antioxidant essential for strong immune defenses is vitamin C. According to a 2017 review in Nutrients on vitamin C and immunity, this important nutrient helps support cells of the immune system. As such, deficiency of vitamin C does not bode well for the immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to infection. Some colorful produce has been found to be particularly high in this important antioxidant, such as acerola cherries, chili peppers, and guava (via Healthline).

Have you ever been told that carrots help your eyesight? This classic advice comes from the fact that carrots are rich in beta carotene, which is known to improve eye health, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Beta carotene helps prevent eye dryness, damage from the sun, night blindness, and decline in eye health from aging. Also, because of the distinct effect it has on a plant's color, it is easy to identify other good sources of beta carotene in our food. Sweet potatoes, kale, bell peppers, and yes, carrots, are all good sources, as well as other brightly colored, non-produce food items like salmon.

One thing to keep in mind: The benefits from beta carotene can be better accessed through different methods of cooking and consuming your orange fruits and veggies. Chewing, chopping, dicing, or — even better — blending your orange fruits and veggies will break down the cell walls and make those health-enhancing nutrients more available for your body to absorb, according to Oregon State University's Micronutrient Information Center. Softening foods by cooking them can also make them easier to digest, and eating your produce along with a little fat (such as ranch dressing with carrots) can help the body better absorb fat-soluble carotenoids like beta carotene, according to a 2017 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Vitamin A has received a lot of attention for its potential bone-improving benefits, according to American Bone Health. There are various sources that convert to vitamin A, one of which is carotenoids, per this review from the Journal of Clinical Densitometry. Carotenoids have been found to be helpful in maintaining strong bones by providing anabolic effects (per this review from the Journal of Biomedical Science), and different types of carotenoids are commonly found in orange and yellow produce (per Today's Dietitian). These carotenoids include alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, both of which are associated with supporting bone health. So, if you are trying to set your bones up for long-term success, load up on those bright orange and yellow fruits and vegetables to keep up your carotenoid intake.

Another form of vitamin A important in supporting your skeleton is retinol. Some of the more major sources of retinol are orange and yellow as well, but they are not produce. Eggs, cheese, meat, and fish are all great sources of retinol, according to the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS). However, one note of caution: Too much vitamin A can also have some negative impacts. According to American Bone Health, elevated levels of vitamin A have been found to be associated with increased incidences of bone fractures.

Folic acid is an vital nutrient for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development. While deficiency in folic acid is rare, pregnant and lactating are more likely to experience deficiency due to their increased needs, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to various health problems for the developing child, including congenital heart defects, neural tube defects like spina bifida, as well as cleft lip and palate, according to Healthline. It is particularly important to ensure adequate levels of folic acid when planning to become pregnant, as some defects occur early in gestation. The RDA for women is 400 micrograms, but this increases with pregnancy; the RDA for pregnant women is 600 micrograms, and 500 micrograms for lactating women (via Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).

To add to their already numerous benefits, spinach and other leafy vegetables are rich in folic acid. Spinach, in particular, packs a punch — half a cup of cooked spinach contains 131 micrograms (or over 32% of a women's RDA) of folic acid, according to WebMD.

Some food contains added colors, and depending on the particular colorant, this can either help or hurt the food's health benefit. Despite the enticing names of some food coloring, like Brilliant Blue (aka Blue #1) or Sunset Yellow (aka Yellow #6), artificial colors have been linked to an increase in behavior issues, particularly in children (via UK Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biosciences). Indeed, one 2004 study in Archives of Disease in Childhood looked at how different artificial food colorings impacted behavior in 3 year-olds, and the results showed an increase in hyperactivity when the children received the artificially colored beverage compared to the placebo, as well as compared to the week when they did not consume any artificial colors.

But while synthetic or artificial colors should probably be minimal in one's diet, the story is different with natural added colors: According to a 2016 critical review in the UK Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biosciences, natural food colorants are not only safe to consume, but may have some positive impacts on the consumer's health, such as antioxidant, anti-arthritic, and anti-inflammatory effects.