Help me decide on a 'rainbow' shake ingredients...

chocthree

Hi,
I would like to perfect my concoction for a vitamin shake I would like to consume each day. I hear it is the colour of the vegetables and fruit that provide the unique nutritional properties. I also hear that to receive a well rounded intake of vitamins I should try and adhere to the rainbow colours of vegetables and fruit.

For the past year, I have being consuming shakes comprising of the following:
Spinach (or Kale but usually Spinach as it's easier to compact into the blender, although both Spinach and Kale have very similar nutritional properties).
Strawberries
Blueberries
Apple juice (to reduce the thickness of the shake)

Pretty simple really. Keeping it simple, keeps it easy, which keeps the interest in producing a shake each day.

Having read a little more into 'rainbow' nutrition, I'm thinking about tweaking my ingredients to optimize the nutritional benefit more. In keeping with the rainbow theme I think I will try this:
Green = Broccoli (as its contains Sulforaphane which is known as the prominent ingredient to prevent the start of cancerous cells)
Red = Red Pepper (As it contains Lycopene. Another cancer preventing ingredient. I understand tomatoes are best for Lycopene but I do not like tomatoes blended. I was hoping to use Strawberries but I've read mixed reviews to whether Strawberries contain actually Lycpoene).
Orange = Mango. I understand orange provides beta-carotene but I'm not sure what to use for it. I would say carrots as I expect it has the most beta-carotene content, but for taste reasons I may go with mango. Is mango a good choice?
Black = Blackberries (I understand Blackberries have a very high level of antioxident, again to ward off cancer. I was using Blueberries but I understand Blackberries have lower GI).
White = Ginger (I feel this has cholesterol and inflammation lowering benefits. and it will mask the taste of the Broccoli).

I have no health problems but simply wish to keep myself free from ill health (i.e. cancer, heart disease, etc..) and just generally keep my body young and healthy.

My question, is my 'rainbow' ingredients the best to use for each colour for optimal health benefits? Are there other food I should swap or include? For example, I never knew that Broccoli was such a big hitter when it came to preventing cancer.

You thoughts and suggestions will be most helpful.
Thanks.

kommodevaran

Be wary of nutritionism. A varied and balanced diet is good for you, but obsessing over technical details is only okay if it really interests you (or it's your job to know).

Taste matters. Pick foods and recipes that you like to eat (or drink).

Balanced and varied means that you're taking in food from all the food groups, not just fruit and veg.

Mixing all the colors = brown, possibly gray, concoction.

Do not get carried away by fearmongering. You can't avoid cancer by eating vegetables. You'll be reducing the risk. Stressing over getting it perfect, may even counteract what you are trying to do.

Tacklewasher

BruinsGal_91

chocthree wrote: »

Hi,
I would like to perfect my concoction for a vitamin shake I would like to consume each day. I hear it is the colour of the vegetables and fruit that provide the unique nutritional properties. I also hear that to receive a well rounded intake of vitamins I should try and adhere to the rainbow colours of vegetables and fruit.

ritzvin

That sounds kind of disgusting all mixed together into a beverage.. and most of those are yummy (and low-calorie) snack items on their own. And apple juice is pretty much just adding sugar-water calories to the mix (which, from I've heard, is usually a no-no in anti-cancer woo).

malibu927

Why not just eat the foods themselves?

artbyrachelh

Hi! I used to juice and find both broccoli and bell pepper flavors to dominate all others. Ginger, too- wow, a little goes a long way, if you're using pure root. Having said that, I don't juice at all any more and I'm not a smoothie person. I agree with above poster, I don't think the theory of rainbow of nutrients means to mix them all together at once.

rheddmobile

I like broccoli but it sounds disgusting in a shake.

I enjoy making different varieties of rainbow salads. Eating a variety of different fruits and vegetables ensures that you get plenty of various micronutrients, and considering the colors helps you do that - eating the same few things every day, even if they are different colors, is missing the point. Mix it up!

Some strongly colored and nutrition packed things I enjoy:

Turmeric, carrots, oranges, squashes, yellow and orange peppers, sweet potatoes
Blueberries, blackberries, blue potatoes, cooked red cabbage (turns blue)
Raspberries, beets, hibiscus, purple sweet potatoes, radishes
Watercress, broccoli, green beans, cucumber, avocado
Black beans, black sesame seeds, dried seaweed