Eat the rainbow for oral and overall health

What does it mean to “eat the rainbow”

So, how do you eat the rainbow? Eating the rainbow simply means eating a variety of colorful foods. 

I’m not talking about Skittles or Lucky Charms… I’m talking about the colorful plant foods that nature provides for us. 

A colorful diet includes fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, pulses, whole grains, herbs, and spices. 

You can benefit from eating fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced versions of produce. 

This DOES NOT mean you have to eat a fully vegetarian or vegan diet. Quality meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy are all welcome here. 

It sounds simple and intuitive to “eat the rainbow”, but 8 out of 10 people fall short of the daily recommendations for each color category. 

How much color do we need? 

When it comes to eating the rainbow, the real question here is not “how much?”, but “how many?” 

Most diets are about restriction and meticulously counting this or that, but eating the rainbow isn’t about dieting. 

It’s about nutrition. 

The focus isn’t about restricting, the focus is about diversifying. 

The goal is to get all of the colors of the rainbow into your daily and weekly diet. The variety of colors helps to ensure your body is getting a diversity of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. 

Ok, so how many colors and how much variety? 

Well, there are 6 colors in the food rainbow and you should aim for 50+ different whole foods to be a part of your weekly diet. 

If you’re the kind of person who needs to know exactly “how much?”- you should aim for 1 ½ – 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ – 3 cups of vegetables daily. 

But it’s a lot easier (not to mention more fun!) for little ones to grasp the concept of eating all of the colors than it is to figure out how many cups or grams they are getting.

Most of us eat the same few foods over and over again out of habit. 

But don’t worry. This is an easy habit to break and I would add- super enjoyable as well. 

Your palette and your gut bugs will be thanking you! 

Benefits of eating the rainbow

The idea behind “eat the rainbow” is that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables provides a broader spectrum of the nutrients that feed your Microbiome and help combat biological stress aka ”oxidative stress” at a cellular level. 

Oxidative stress in our bodies is caused by free radicals, which are created by everyday metabolic processes and the environment. 

Some examples of things that create free radicals include:

• Exercise 
• Air pollutants (ie. Cigarette smoke) 
• Inflammation in general 
• Radiation 
• Mitochondria (the part of the cell that produces the energy needed to function)
• Pesticides and industrial solvents 

Thankfully, eating the rainbow can have a neutralizing effect on free radicals and can help prevent the damage they cause. 

The nutrients provided when you eat the rainbow indirectly fight free radicals by turning on and boosting our body’s natural antioxidant processes. 

There are so many incredible benefits to eating the rainbow, including:

1. Gut health 
2. Oral Health 
3. Mental health 
4. Immune health 
5. Hormone regulation 
6. Heart health 
7. Anti-inflammatory 
8. Skin health 
9. Decreased weight gain 
10. Lower risk of certain cancers 

I guess you could just say whole body health is the benefit of eating the rainbow. 

The colors of the food rainbow 

Let’s go a little more in-depth and break down the food rainbow color-by-color because each color tells us about what benefits and nutrients it provides. 

Red Foods: Inflammation & Immunity

Inflammation and immune response go hand-in-hand. The more inflammation in your body, the harder your immune system has to work to maintain equilibrium and health. 

This holds true for your oral health as well- think gum disease. Gingivitis and periodontitis (aka gum disease) are caused by inflammation hence the “itis” endings. 

But thanks to the power-packed combination of ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C) and antioxidants in red foods you get both decreased inflammation in the body and a boost to the immune system. 

Vitamin C is a key player in the fight against gum inflammation. It helps the body produce collagen, which in turn aids in cell repair and healing. (Buh-Bye, Scurvy!) 

Red foods to add to your plate: 

Orange foods: Hormone Regulation 

We all know orange foods like carrots are good for our eyes, but did you know they are also important for hormone regulation? 

You can thank beta-carotene for both. 

Carotenoids’ antioxidant qualities have been found to positively affect the endocrine system by reducing the risk of insulin resistance. They have also been associated with reproductive health by increasing fertility in men and women, decreasing the rate of breast and prostate cancer, as well as influencing progesterone synthesis. 

Our hormones play a big role in bone density and inflammatory responses, especially in women. 

Have you ever noticed your gums bleed more during your period, pregnancy, or post-menopause? You can thank your estrogen levels for that. 

Have you heard that osteoporosis (bone loss) is more common post-menopause? You can thank progesterone for that one. 

And guess what, that bone loss doesn’t discriminate- it targets the bone holding your teeth in place as well, leading to an increase in gum disease, bone loss in the jaw, and ultimately tooth loss. 

Orange foods to add to your plate:

Yellow foods: Digestion

Yellow foods are super gut-friendly. They contain fiber-rich prebiotics that help to feed and nourish a healthy and happy gut microbiome. 

Having a balanced microbiome means your body is actually able to absorb all of the vital nutrients you are eating. 

Your mouth loves a balanced microbiome. It is one of the best ways to prevent common dental diseases.

One example is cavities- they form as a direct result of an imbalance of bacteria. Gum disease can also be caused by bacteria and the subsequent inflammation it causes. 

Yellow foods are beneficial for your GI tract as a whole in preventing ulcers- from the mouth all the way down through the intestines.

Yellow foods to add to your plate:

Green Foods: Heart Health 

Green foods are full of nutrients that are beneficial to heart health like vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, nitrates, and folates to name a few. 

Adding green foods to your diet daily can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and stroke. 

These same nutrients also present a ton of oral health benefits as well. 

Vitamin K is a key nutrient in the demineralization process of teeth. It collects calcium that the body absorbs and directs it to your teeth and bones, rather than allowing it to collect in your arteries. 

Magnesium is an important mineral for whole body health. It helps your body absorb calcium, which is a critical building block of strong healthy bones and teeth. 

Nitrates make oxygen more readily available throughout the body leading to decreased blood pressure and increased athletic ability- Popeye the sailor man had it right on this one! They also add a lot of value to oral health by killing the bacteria that cause gum disease, decreasing bad breath, and protecting the teeth against acid attacks (meaning- fewer cavities) 

Folate helps to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. When there is a folate deficiency it will manifest in the mouth with discolored gums and a sore, swollen tongue. 

Green foods to add to your plate:

Blue/Purple Foods: Mental Health

The polyphenols found in blue and purple foods have shown to be especially beneficial for brain function, mood, and memory. 

The flavonoids found in blue and purple foods can cross the blood-brain barrier. They have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that prevent and repair oxidative stress- promoting positive mood and increased memory while preventing depression and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. 

Flavonoids have also been shown to have a positive effect on oral health. They aid in improving gum health and healing when eaten in conjunction with periodontal therapy (therapy to treat gum disease). 

And let’s not disregard the fact that an increase in mood and decrease in depression allows people to have more energy for self-care, including taking care of their teeth by following through with habits like brushing and flossing. 

Blue/Purple foods to add to your plate:

Brown/White Foods: 

Brown and white foods contain a lot of potassium and selenium. They are important for heart health and immunity. 

Potassium helps maintain a good balance of fluid inside of our cells- helping to lower blood pressure. It also works together with magnesium to help your teeth and bones use calcium more efficiently. 

Selenium has powerful antioxidant properties that help to decrease chronic inflammation throughout the body. As we have mentioned above, less inflammation is always a positive when it comes to oral health. 

Brown/White Foods to add to your plate:

Make it a habit

Challenge yourself to eat the rainbow and add more color to your family’s plate. You’ll be painting a beautiful picture of health for not just your oral health, but your overall health for the entire family. Include as many plant-based colors as possible in your meals and snacks to get a variety of nutrients and benefits. Remember, no one color is superior to another- so try to eat them all. 

It’s as easy as adding two colors to each meal and another during snack time each day. Try it out for a week and see how it goes. Then try it again for another two weeks… it only takes 21 days to form a habit! 

This is one habit your whole family will enjoy. Cheers to happy teeth and good health!