A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for “Eating the Rainbow”

Table 3

Select foods, their (phyto)nutrient profile, and health benefits.

Color	Food	Some food formats researched	Basic (phyto)nutrient profile	Researched health benefits
Red	Tomatoes	Juice, powder, raw, sauce (prepared with and without oil)	Carotenoids (e.g., lycopene), flavonoids, vitamin C	(i) Reduction in inflammatory markers; (ii) Reduction in postprandial inflammation; (iii) Improvement in lipid markers
Red	Strawberries	Freeze-dried as beverage	Polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins), vitamin C	(i) Reduction in postprandial inflammation; (ii) Reduction in pain due to osteoarthritis
Red	Beets	Cooked, raw juice	Betalains	(i) Reduction in inflammatory markers
Orange	Wild yam	Cooked	Phytoestrogens	(i) Increase in estrogen and estrogen metabolites; (ii) Phytoestrogenic activity
Orange	Carrots	Not specified	Alpha- and beta-carotene	(i) Decrease in rate of breast and prostate cancer; (ii) Phytoestrogenic activity; (iii) Association with estrogen metabolism
Orange	Orange fruits	Not specified	Bioflavonoids, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin	(i) Delay in ovarian senescence; (ii) Lower risk for endometriosis
Yellow	Ginger	Standardized extract	Gingerols, shogaols	(i) Decrease in nausea; (ii) Increase in gastric emptying
Yellow	Citrus (lemons)	Juice, raw	Hesperidin, nobiletin, rutin, vitamin C	(i) Protective against gastric ulcer; (ii) Antidiabetic; (iii) Reduction in glycemic impact
Yellow	Pineapple	Juice	Bromelain, serotonin	(i) Enzymatic activity
Yellow	Bananas	Raw	Prebiotic fiber, serotonin	(i) Increase in bifidobacteria; (ii) Reduction in bloating
Green	Leafy greens	Raw, spinach	Chlorophyll, folate, nitrates, phylloquinone	(i) Reduction in blood pressure; (ii) Increase in nitric oxide; (iii) Increase in blood flow
Green	Cruciferous vegetables	Not specified	Glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, sulforaphane	(i) Antioxidant action; (ii) Reduction in platelet aggregation; (iii) Reduction in thrombus formation
Blue-purple	Concord grape juice	Juice	Phenolic acids, stilbenes, anthocyanins, proanthocyanins	(i) Improvement in spatial memory and performance; (ii) Improvement in reaction time on attention; (iii) Increase in calm ratings
Blue-purple	Blueberries	Beverage, freeze-dried, raw	Flavonoids, procyanidins (monomeric and oligomeric form), flavonols (i.e., kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin), phenolic acids (mainly hydroxycinnamic acids), derivatives of stilbenes	(i) Improvement in measures of cognition; (ii) Benefit to mood; (iii) Improvement in neuroplasticity

This table provides a summary of certain foods and accompanying animal and/or clinical research studies as discussed in this review article. Details on the studies can be found in the respective color section in the text.