PHYTOCHEMICALS are naturally occurring plant chemicals and are responsible for the colour, smell and taste of each plant. Many of the health advantages of eating plant foods, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, legumes, herbs, and spices, are also due to them.
Each plant-based diet is packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and other substances that promote good health. However, some of a food's most profound health advantages originate from the specific phytochemicals, particularly those that give the plant its colour.
Because each phytochemical provides different health benefits, we can maximize our health by getting in a variety of colourful phytochemicals each day. This is simply accomplished by consuming a range of vibrant plant meals every day- EAT THE RAINBOW!Breaking it Down by COLOR
Because phytochemicals act in so many ways, and there can be hundreds of phytochemicals in a single plant, breaking down the specific health benefits for each colour can be a bit tricky. Many of the benefits overlap and can be seen with many colours (like fighting cancer or protecting against heart disease).
This list shows just a few of the most common benefits we see with each colour/phytochemical but keep in mind there are many, many more and we are discovering new ones each day!
RED (Lycopene)
ORANGE/YELLOW (Carotenoids)
GREEN (Lutein)
BLUE/PURPLE (Anthocyanins)
WHITE/TAN (Allicin)
