I have a funny way of creating a balanced meal and it has nothing to do with the USDA's so-called "food groups". Instead, my method has everything to do with the colors of the rainbow. Doesn't that sound fun?
Every time I cook a meal or pile food on my plate, I try to make a rainbow. I love how my plate looks when there are orange bell peppers, red tomatoes, purple eggplant, and green spinach as the colors blend together so beautifully.
You should see me throw together a salad. That's when I become most creative using red beets, orange carrots, mixed lettuces, green onions, yellow bell peppers, white jicama and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. I toss the ingredients together as I take in the allure of all the bright, vibrant colors.
Yes. I really am that weird. And I share my quirkiness with you in the hope that you will become inspired to view your food a little differently next time you look at your plate. There is good reason for this. You see, the more visually appealing colors you have on your plate, the more beneficial nutrients you are putting in your body.
Did you know that different colored fruits and vegetables contain different types of antioxidants? I am sure you know how powerful antioxidants are, and why you need them in your diet, right? They fight off free-radical damage on the cellular level, which means they protect you from disease on many different levels.
I like to equate antioxidants with anti-aging because they really do help slow down the processes in your body that cause wrinkled skin, chronic illness, failing eye sight and much more. So, eat a rainbow of colors and you will look and feel youthful! I am told I look ten and sometimes even twenty years younger than I am. I attribute my youthful appearance to good genes and my colorful food.
Now don't be fooled by fake colorful food like M&M's, Skittles, Cheez-Its and the like. Food manufacturers purposefully make these snacks colorful because humans are innately programmed to be attracted to color. It makes sense if you think back to a time when humans foraged for food and picked fresh produce for sustenance.
So, I have a challenge for you. Pile your plate with as many colors as you can and after your meals, check in with your energy level. I can almost guarantee that the more colors you eat, the more energy you will have!
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