Why Eating a Rainbow Can Help You Feel Lighter, Brighter and Energised
Emerging research shows that phytonutrients, the natural compounds that give plants their vibrant colour, play a powerful role in cellular energy, hormone balance and healthy ageing.
Many women in their 40s and 50s begin to notice changes in their energy, mood, focus and digestion. You might feel more tired than usual, more easily overwhelmed or simply not quite like yourself. These shifts are often linked to hormonal changes, increased stress and a greater need for nourishment at the cellular level, especially from colourful, plant-based foods.
What Are Phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are natural substances found in plants. They give fruits and vegetables their colour, flavour and protective properties. While not classed as essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients play a critical role in helping the body repair, regulate and stay resilient.
These plant compounds have been shown to:
- Support hormone metabolism and detoxification
- Reduce inflammation and oxidative stress (an imbalance between free radicals and
- antioxidants in the body, which can damage cells and accelerate ageing)
- Improve immune response and gut health
- Influence DNA methylation, a key marker of biological ageing
Put simply, phytonutrients help your body function better, particularly during times of hormonal fluctuation or stress.
The Power of Colour: What Each Shade Offers
Each colour family in nature’s palette offers its own unique blend of nutrients and health benefits:
Red foods (like tomatoes, cherries, pomegranates) are rich in lycopene and anthocyanins, which support heart health, memory and cancer prevention.
Orange and yellow foods (such as carrots, pumpkin, mangoes) are high in beta-carotene and vitamin C, great for skin, immunity and eye health.
Green foods (like spinach, kale, broccoli) provide chlorophyll, folate and lutein. These support detox, red blood cell health and central vision.
Purple foods (including blueberries, beetroot, red cabbage) contain powerful flavonoids, which help reduce inflammation, improve memory and protect your cardiovascular system.
Why Midlife Is the Perfect Time to Eat More Colour
Hormonal changes in perimenopause and beyond can affect how well we absorb and use nutrients. Add stress, sleep changes and a busier-than-ever life, and it’s easy to fall short.
A colourful, plant-rich diet helps counter this. It delivers the kind of deep nourishment that supports your body’s energy systems, brain health and ability to adapt to stress.
Several studies have shown that plant-rich diets high in polyphenols and methylation-supportive foods can actually slow biological ageing and in some cases, reverse it by years.
Practical Ways to Add Colour Every Day
You don’t need a total overhaul. Just small, consistent shifts. Think of it as upgrading your plate one colour at a time.
Make it fun. When you’re shopping, look for the rainbow. Try adding one or two new colourful fruits or vegetables to your trolley each week. A purple cabbage, golden beetroot or bright orange squash might not be your usual pick, but your body (and your gut) will thank you for the variety.
These colourful foods feed different types of beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome, which plays a vital role in digestion, hormone balance, immunity and even mood.
Here are some simple ways to bring more colour to your day:
- Add berries to breakfast (fresh or frozen)
- Swap your second coffee for a mug of green tea
- Make lunch a colourful salad with at least three vegetables
- Snack on chopped veggies and guacamole
- Roast a tray of mixed vegetables for dinner: red onion, beetroot, carrots, broccoli, courgettes, yellow and red peppers, mushrooms and cauliflower
- Sprinkle fresh herbs or seeds over your meals for an extra nutrient boost
Choose as many colours as you can. Aim for at least three different ones with each meal. The more variety you include, the better you’ll nourish your cells, your gut and your energy.
And most of all, make it joyful. Imagine singing, “I can eat a rainbow!” as you shop. How blessed we are to have such wonderful food available and to nourish ourselves so freely. Do it because you can. And I promise, you’ll feel the benefits.
Supporting Your Nervous System Makes It All Work Better
Even the best food can’t work its magic if your body is stuck in stress mode. When your nervous system is constantly on high alert, digestion, absorption and repair take a back seat.
That’s why calming practices like breathwork, meditation or even a quiet cup of tea in the garden can make a real difference. They help shift your body into a state where it can receive and use the nutrients you’re feeding it.
This is especially important for women in midlife, where nervous system balance directly affects hormones, sleep and energy.
Summary: Why Eating a Rainbow Matter
Recent research into phytonutrients and biological ageing shows:
Colourful plant foods are rich in phytonutrients like polyphenols, flavonoids and carotenoids that support energy, hormone balance and healthy DNA expression
- Diets high in a variety of plants have been shown to slow or even reverse biological age, especially when combined with supportive lifestyle practices
- Red, orange, yellow, green and purple foods each offer unique protective benefits, from anti-inflammatory effects to brain and heart support
- Aim for at least three colours per meal to increase nutrient diversity and support whole-body vitality
- Supporting your nervous system through calm, restorative practices enhances nutrient absorption and helps your body get the most from what you eat
Eating a rainbow isn’t just good advice. It’s a practical, science-backed way to feel better, age well and give your body what it truly needs to thrive.
Research Sources
Hariton E, et al. (2023). Polyphenol-Rich Green-Mediterranean Diet Reduces Age-Related DNA Methylation Drift. Clinical Nutrition
- Fitzgerald K, et al. (2021). Potential reversal of epigenetic age using a diet and lifestyle intervention. Aging, 13(7)
- Rogers C, et al. (2023). Diet quality, added sugar intake and epigenetic age acceleration in midlife women. The Journal of Nutrition
- FitzGerald K, et al. (2023). Younger You Intensive: A Methylation and Lifestyle-Based Approach to Ageing. Journal of Nutrition Aging
With warmth and energy,
Stefanie Kerwin
Naturopath Women’s Health Educator
Founder of Energise YOU
About the Author
Stefanie Kerwin is a qualified naturopath and women’s health educator with over [insert number] years of experience supporting women through perimenopause, hormone imbalance and low energy. She created Energise YOU to give busy women in midlife the nourishment, calm and clarity they need to finally feel like themselves again — using real-life tools, not restriction or overwhelm.