Rainbow Diet
A rainbow signifies positivity, to remind us things will get better and brighter. “Eat a rainbow” gets popular in recent years to encourage consumption of a diversity of colourful foods with various nutrients and antioxidants. With reference to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, eating well helps with our mental health and weight management. In fact, we do not need expensive foods or ingredients to eat well. Instead, we can introduce the “eat the rainbow” theory by having foods of different colours, and to enjoy the nutrients that those foods bring us.
About Rainbow Diet
Broadly speaking, rainbow diet talks about the seven distinctive colours from vegetables and fruits, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple/black, white and brown. Each colour provides different nutrients and offers a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, etc.
Nutrients
| Colour | Nutrient(s) | Functions | Food Examples |
| Red | Lycopene | Antioxidant effect, supports cells and cardiovascular health | Tomato, red capsicum, watermelon |
| Orange | Beta-carotene | Maintains skin and eye health | Pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato |
| Yellow | Yellow | Protects eyes and supports immunity | Sweet corn, yellow capsicum, pineapple |
| Green | Iron, folate, calcium | Iron and folate helps with red blood cell production, calcium is beneficial for bone health | Asparagus, broccoli, spinach |
| Blue/purple/ black | Anthocyanin | Antioxidant effect, protects cells and helps with memory | Blueberry, eggplant, blackcurrant |
| White | Allicin or protein | Allicin has antiviral and antibacterial properties | Garlic, soybeans, water chestnuts |
| Brown | Vitamin B, potassium, protein | Provides energy and helps with cell repair | Mushroom, potato, brown lentils |
Recipe - stir fry rice vermicelli with chicken and mixed vegetables
Incorporating rainbow diet into daily life is not difficult. Below sharing a recipe of stir fry rice vermicelli with chicken and mixed vegetables to give you different colours and nutrients for home cooking!
Ingredients(3-4 people):
| Rice vermicelli | 200g |
| Chicken fillet | 500g |
| Onion(small) | 1/2(~70g) |
| Carrot | 1/2(~75g) |
| Zucchini(yellow and green) | 1/2(~75g) |
| Red capsicum(small) | 1(~80g) |
| Mushroom | 2oz(~80g) |
Seasonings:
| Olive oil | 2 teaspoon |
| Mashed garlic | 1 tablespoon |
| Soy sauce | 2 teaspoon |
| Salt | a little |
| White pepper | a little |
Steps:
| 1 | Spread chicken fillet evenly with a small amount of salt. Sit and let it marinate for 10-20 minutes. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Soak rice vermicelli, set aside. Wash onion, carrot and red capsicum and cut into shreds. Wash and slice zucchini. Wash and remove the stem of mushroom and cut in slices. |
| 3 | In a large pan (or wok) on high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil and mashed garlic. |
| 4 | Add chicken fillet and season it with little white pepper. Stir fry for ~1 min and then remove the chicken from pan and set aside. |
| 5 | Set on medium heat, bring 1 teaspoon of olive oil to heat. Add onion, carrot and zucchini, and cook until soft. Add mushroom and red capsicum and stir fry for another 1 minute. |
| 6 | Add chicken fillet back to pan and fry until it is completely cooked. |
| 7 | Add rice vermicelli into the pan then pour 2 teaspoon of soy sauce and bring to a boil. Turn off heat once the vermicelli is well incorporated with the other ingredients. |
Tip：
| Rainbow diet is suitable for most healthy individuals. If you have chronic illness like kidney disease or diabetes, it is recommended to seek medical professional advice first. To establish a healthy eating habit, having enough carbohydrates, protein and fat are as much of importance as vegetables and fruits. |
