Dieticians are urging Australians to eat a “rainbow” diet to boost nutrition, and new colourful breeds of vegetables are becoming available to make that task easier. 

Fresh Select grow purple cauliflowers in the Werribee food bowl, 30 kilometres south-west from Melbourne’s CBD.

Chief executive John Said believes consumers want to try something different, and supermarkets are recognising that different colours would attract sales.

“Everyone is looking for that different product, and the rainbow is one way to start,” he said.

“Breeders around the world have looked at it as a novel process, but now it’s becoming mainstream.”

“Colours are fun, they attract attention and awareness.”

Eating the rainbow

Dietician Simone Austin said eating a variety of colours increased the amount of nutrients the human body can absorb. 

“Any colours in vegetables, but particularly the purples and dark greens show that they’ve got lots of antioxidants in them and antioxidants are particularly good for us,” she said.

Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by the body processing food and reacting to the environment.

“Antioxidants can reduce inflammation in our body … lots of the diseases and chronic conditions, like diabetes or heart disease, are often linked to that inflammation in our body over a long time,” Ms Austin said.

Purple cauliflowers are said to have a sweeter flavour than white varieties.(Supplied: Fresh Select)

“But don’t just purchase all purple foods; we want to eat a rainbow.”

Ms …….

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-12-26/summer-holder-colourful-cauliflowers/100668678