• PLANT-BASED SHOPPING •

Farmer's Market Guide

At PlantBelly, we think that fresh fruits and veggies should take up most of your refrigerator. Forget the “veggie drawer” - fill a couple shelves with nutritious, delicious garden bounty. A good starting point is with the 🌈. (Because even if life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns, your magical plant-based kitchen can be.) It’s true - incorporating lots of vibrant colors is a surefire path to some vivacious veggie shelves.

That’s partly because of a little something called phytonutrients. They’re compounds that plants produce, and they give fruits and veggies their various colors. And beyond their rainbow effects, phytonutrients are associated with an array of different health benefits.

Tips to make the most of your produce bounty >

Start building your own nutritious rainbow with:

• Glorious Greens
• Yellows & Oranges
• Radiant Reds
• Purples & Blues
• Wholesome Whites

Glorious Greens

Green produce has so much going for it. Not only is it anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants, but many green fruits and veggies are packed with fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

Our favorite greens are those of the leafy variety (like chard, collard, kale, and spinach), because they’re among the healthiest foods on the planet. How’s this for a mind-blowing fact – in a CDC study that examined the nutrient density of almost 50 fruits and veggies, 17 of the top 20 were leafy greens. It’s enough to make other veggies green with envy!

Yellows & Oranges

Many yellow and orange fruits and veggies get their color from alpha- and beta-carotene, which our bodies use to convert into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is good for our skin and vision, and research suggests that it lowers risks of cancer and heart disease. This brightly colored produce also tends to have lots of fiber, folate (Vitamin B9), potassium, and Vitamin C.

Radiant Reds

Red fruits and vegetables have two phytonutrients – lycopene and anthocyanin – to thank for their rosy hues. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that may fight high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even cancer. And the vast majority of lycopene that Americans consume (around 85%) actually comes from tomatoes and tomato-based products.

Anthocyanin is another antioxidant, and studies suggest that it may offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits. All told, these ruby reds have a lot to offer.

Powerful Purples & Brilliant Blues

Like red produce, purple and blue fruits and veggies contain anthocyanin. So not only do they bring those same antioxidant-packed health benefits, but they also make for some strikingly vibrant and beautiful meals. Purple and blue produce is somewhat rarer than other colors in the edible plant kingdom, hence our shorter list for them.

Wholesome Whites

You may associate white foods with simple, low-nutrient carbs like white bread and pasta. But that’s not true when it comes to white fruits and veggies! (We’re using “white” loosely here because the produce typically has tints of gray, yellow, or brown.)

White produce indicates the presence of the phytonutrients anthoxanthin (which research suggests is excellent for our immune systems and may reduce the risk of stroke and cancer), and allicin (which is believed to be heart-healthy). White food may be void of color, but it’s far from empty when it comes to nutrients.

That’s it! So head to your local farmers market or favorite grocer and get colorful.