In this ultimate guide to summer produce, you'll learn why it's important to eat the rainbow! We'll also teach you how to use up all that summer produce!
Now that we are fully immersed in the summer heat, we are constantly surrounded by a plethora of fresh fruits and veggies. Our farmerās markets are bursting with beautiful produce, each stand just as colorful as the next. Itās like a tangible rainbow in front of your eyes. Simply magnificent!
With all that color, how can you not be inspired to eat it all up and incorporate as much into one plate as possible? Maybe itās just me, but the more colorful and visually interesting the plate of food in front of me is, the more I enjoy it. Not only just taste, but it also just makes me happier while Iām eating it. Color can have that effect on people.
But what is the health benefit of eating all these colorful foods? Just because theyāre colorful, does it really mean theyāre healthier? The simple answer is YES!
Why You Should Eat the Rainbow
To help you understand how important it is to add color to your diet, weāre going to take a tour of the food rainbow. Remember back in elementary school ā R-O-Y-G-B-I-V? Weāre going to play that game again, but with food (and Iāll tell what produce to keep an eye out for while youāre shopping)!
Red Foods
Besides their beautiful color, red foods are very high in lycopene which can help reduce the risk of cancers like prostate, lung, stomach, and breast. Red foods are also typically very high in antioxidants, which have also been found to help prevent cancer and other diseases like Alzheimerās.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Tomatoes
- Radishes
- Watermelon
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
- Balsamic Strawberry & Rhubarb Crisp
- Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
- Summer Tomato & Zucchini Quinoa Pizza
Orange Foods
Best-known for their high levels of beta-carotene, which is great for eye health (remember what your mom told you when you were little about carrots?), orange foods have a world of other health benefits too. Most notably, they are high in vitamin A and C, which are both critical for immune health.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Cantaloupe
- Apricots
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Pumpkins & other winter squashes
- Tropical fruits: oranges, tangerines, mangoes, kumquats
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
Yellow Foods
The beauty of the color yellow is the feeling it gives us when we look at it. It boosts our mood and makes us happy. But along with its mood enhancing qualities, and similar to our orange friends, yellow produce is packed with vitamin C, which we know helps keep the immune system in tip-top shape.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Sweet corn
- Summer Squash
- Watermelon (the yellow variety)
- Yellow beans
- Peaches & Nectarines
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
- Summer Squash Quinoa Salad
- Stone Fruit Quinoa Crumble,
- Grilled Corn & Avocado Salsa
Green Foods
Green is king, queen, prince and princess of the food kingdom. Those amazing green foods are arguably the healthiest and one of the most nutrient-rich foods we can possibly eat. Most notably, green fruits and veggies are high in fiber which can be an important factor in maintaining a healthy weight and helps keep you fuller longer.
Green foods are also high in vitamins A, C and E, all which are essential daily vitamins. Some green vegetables also contain protein which makes them perfect for vegetarians and vegans (as well as animal-based lovers too). Overall, my view is you canāt get enough greens in your diet. I try to eat something green at every single meal, including breakfast!
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Leafy greens: kale, lettuce, spinach, collards, swiss chard, beet greens
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Broccoli
- Green Beans
- Peas: sugar snap, shelling, snow
- Herbs: basil, thyme, cilantro, oregano, dill, marjoram, etc.
- Honeydew Melon
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
- Hidden Veggie Pineapple Green Smoothie
- Creamy Broccoli Quinoa Salad
- Green Bean & Almond Quinoa Salad
- Everyday Vegan Pesto
- Tropical Kale & Quinoa Power Salad
- Cucumber & Avocado Quinoa Salad
Blue Foods
There arenāt many naturally occurring blue foods (some span the blue/purple realm), but blueberries are a standout star. They have more antioxidants than any other food, plus they are packed with fiber and vitamin C. Blueberries are also low in calories, so theyāre the perfect summer snack.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Blueberries
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
- Banana Blueberry Crumble
- Fluffy Vegan Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread
- Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Bars
Purple Foods
Purple foods are nutrient superstars. To start, theyāre rich in antioxidants. But our purple friends also help prevent premature aging, reduce the risk of cancer and help improve your memory. Plus theyāre good for you heart (theyāre packed with flavonoids). Not to mention theyāre pretty to look at.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Eggplant
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Figs
- Plums
- Cabbage
Healthy Recipes to TryĀ >>
Ready to “Eat the Rainbow”?
Okay, so now that you know all the amazing health benefits that colorful foods have, arenāt you just dying to make a rainbow on your plate? We'd love to hear what you end up making!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram as we'll be sharing all the delicious and nutritious color foods we'll be eating ALL summer long!
Your turn…
And now we'd love to hear from you: whatās your favorite color food? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you love to whip up in the summertime! We're partial to berries and greens, but that's probably because we love smoothies so much š