eat the rainbow.

I was one of those kids that hated vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, I remain that same type of person as an adult, though I know better than to avoid them in my diet. I try to eat the few types of fruits and vegetables I actually like as much as possible. My nutritionist says I'm ok with the types I like, as long as I eat them more often. So I am and it's getting easier to do so, though I doubt fruits and vegetables will ever be tops of my favorites list any time soon.

Nutrition is so very complicated as a science and as a diabetic, there's so much to consider when thinking about food. So much of the time eating becomes a chore or source of fuel or connection to bloodsugars and not a source of pleasure or sustenance. So I like it when nutrition is presented in a simple, straightforward way, which helps make it easier to do the right thing when it comes to what I eat. Which is why I'm loving the nature matching system by tattfoo, a project that frames up nutrition as color, "as a reminder to consume your daily recommended doses of color. The shades of color displayed at farmers’ markets are more than skin deep, reflecting the inner potential of every fruit and vegetable; intense colors might even be called nature’s nutrition labels. They get many of their colors from phytonutrients, compounds that play key roles in health and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. The more colors come together at a meal, the better. Sadly, marketers of junk food apply the same technique used by nature to pollinate seed to their nutrition-deprived product. Color is a device that can do good or be deceptive and ensure the pollination of unhealthy eating habits. The colors on the placemat shown below are all actual food colors, taken from photographs of various fruits and vegetables. Match your meal to the placemat—it is truly a rainbow connection."

What a smart, simple way to think about food. I love it, plus it sounds so much more fun and doable than the usual "eat better or you'll be in trouble" feel of most of the talk we hear in this culture around nutrition. Add more colors to your meals! Eat the rainbow! I actually want do that!

Comments

[Kelly K]

Yummy! So far 2-day I've had 1 of a yellow-e green square, 1 solid green square, and two red squares in the rainbow of foods checkerboard of life!
k2

[Gayle]

Yum that salad looks DELICIOUS! Yup, it's dinnertime. A visual chart makes for a great user-friendly supplement to the numbers. Thanks!

[Minnesota Nice]

What a cute idea. I love color I buy the premium sets of German colored-pencils and use them until they're an inch long.
I also love food..............so, it seems like a great idea to pair them together.

[Donna]

I've never been a veggie person either. I have very few that I'll even attempt to eat. My husband won't eat any so that makes it even more difficult. But I do love fruits.

The rainbow thing is a great idea. Maybe I'll give it a try.

[Amylia]

very cool idea. anything that makes me WANT to do something, even if it seems silly to some, is totally worth it. i have to find little tricks of the mind to get around some of this stuff.

LOVE THIS! Thanks, Birdie!