Chef Hina Gujral.
Ever noticed how a colourful plate somehow looks more appetising? There's a reason for that. The natural pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright colours often come with beneficial plant compounds and nutrients. While colour alone cannot tell you everything about a food, eating a variety of colours can be a simple way to add different nutrients to your diet. Chef Hina Gujral shares how the colours on your plate can reflect the variety of nutrients in your food.
Red - Cranberries
Red foods can bring more than just colour to your plate. Cranberries are naturally vibrant and contain antioxidant plant compounds. Their pleasantly tart flavour makes them easy to add to breakfasts, salads, smoothies or snacks, giving everyday meals a refreshing twist.
Orange - Carrots
Carrots get their familiar orange colour from beta-carotene, a plant pigment that the body can convert into vitamin A. They are also a source of fibre and can be enjoyed raw, roasted, in soups or simply added to everyday meals.
Yellow - Bell Peppers & Corn
Yellow foods such as bell peppers and corn add a cheerful touch to meals while bringing their own nutritional benefits. Yellow bell peppers are particularly known for vitamin C, while corn provides fibre along with other nutrients.
Green - Spinach & Broccoli
Green vegetables are nutritional staples for good reason. Spinach and broccoli provide folate, fibre and a range of vitamins and minerals. Adding them to meals can be an easy way to make your plate more nutrient-dense.
Purple - Black Grapes & Brinjal
That deep purple shade comes from plant pigments such as anthocyanins. Black grapes and brinjal contain these compounds along with other naturally occurring plant nutrients. They can add both colour and variety to everyday meals.
A colourful plate is ultimately about variety rather than perfection. Think strawberries, watermelon and pomegranate for red; oranges and papaya for orange; bananas and pineapple for yellow; kiwis and green apples for green; and blueberries and blackberries for deeper shades. And within that red spectrum, US cranberries are another naturally vibrant option, bringing their characteristic tart flavour and antioxidant plant compounds to everything from breakfast bowls and salads to smoothies and snacks.
