Eat a rainbow of phytonutrients every day to avoid chronic disease, nourish your body and live a healthful life.
What is the Spectrum of Phytonutrient Foods?
Red foods provide benefits including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, cell protection, gastrointestinal health, heart health, hormone health, and liver health.
- Apples, blood oranges, cranberries, cherries, grapefruit, goji berries, grapes, plums, pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
- Beans (kidney, red)
- Beets, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, sweet red peppers, rhubarb, tomato
- Rooibos tea
Orange foods provide benefits including anti-cancer, antibacterial, immune health, cell protection, reduced mortality, reproductive health, skin health, source of vitamin A.
- Apricots, cantaloupe, mango, nectarine, orange, papaya, tangerines
- Bell peppers, carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, yams
- Turmeric root
Yellow foods provide benefits including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, cell protection, cognition, eye health, heart health, skin health and vascular health.
- Apple, asian pears, banana, lemon, pineapple, starfruit
- Bell peppers, summer squash
- Ginger root, millet
Green foods provide health benefits including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, brain health, cell protection, skin health, hormone balance, heart health, liver health.
- Apples, bitter melon, limes, pears
- Artichoke, asparagus, avocado, bamboo sprouts, bean sprouts, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, green beans, green peas, greens (arugula, beet, chard/swiss chard, collard, dandelion, kale, lettuce, mustard, spinach, turnip), okra, snow peas, zucchini
- Decaf green tea, olives, watercress
Blue/Purple/Black foods provide health benefits including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, cell protection, cognitive health, heart health and liver health.
- Berries (blue, black, boysenberries, huckleberries, marionberries), figs, grapes, plums, prunes, raisins
- Bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, kale, olives, potatoes, rice (black or purple)
White/Tan/Brown foods provide health benefits including anti-cancer, anti-microbial, cell protection, gastrointestinal health, heart health, hormone health and liver health
- Apples, applesauce, coconut, dates, jicama, pears
- Bean dips, garlic, ginger, legumes (chickpeas, dried beans or peas, hummus, lentils, peanuts, refried beans/low-fat), nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts), seeds (flax, hemp, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), tahini, naturally caffeine free tea (black, white), gluten-free whole grains (brown rice, quinoa)
- Cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, sauerkraut, shallots
The Detox Challenge, Dietary Guidebook, by Deanna Minich, PhD, in collaboration with The Institute for Functional Medicine.