P139 - EAT THE RAINBOW: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF A COLOURFUL FOOD PALETTE

P139

EAT THE RAINBOW: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF A COLOURFUL FOOD PALETTE

S. Chatterjee¹, B. Bhattacharjee^1,*

¹Department of Dietetics and Applied Nutrition , Amity University Kolkata , Kolkata, India

Rationale: The review scouts the health impacts of natural bioactive pigments across the rainbow in foods.

Methods: A computerized public database search by keywords ensued selection for data inclusion,extraction & analysis.

Results: Consumers steadily avoid synthetic colourants prompting food industries to choose natural pigments, the cornerstone of healthy diets.Plant pigments studied are phenolics(flavonoids: anthocyanins,flavanones, isoflavones,quercetin,myricetin,kaempferol, flavanols(catechins,epicatechins)),carotenoids(lycopene, lutein,carotenes(α-, β-carotene),xanthophylls(astaxanthin, cryptoxanthin,zeaxanthin)),betalains,porphyrins (chlorophylls,chlorophyllins),curcuminoids,annatto(bixin, norbixin),phycocyanin,violacein,carminic acid. They promote delayed aging,antioxidant,antitumorigenic, antimicrobial,anti-inflammatory,antihistaminic, chemoprotective,neuroprotective,hypolipidemic & hypotensive properties,managing chronic ailments(diabetes,CVD,cancer,obesity,macular degeneration,cataract,neurodegenerative diseases)triggering reduced morbidity & mortality. They modulate cellular physiology,enhances insulin sensitization, stress response,protein kinase regulation & epigenetic modulations. Each colour links to an organ system/function trait(red foods:inflammation,orange foods:reproductive health,yellow foods:digestion,green foods:cardiovascular health,blue-purple foods:cognition). Cruciferous,green leafy vegetables,citruses,dark berries impacts biomarkers,surrogate endpoints & chronic ailments.

Conclusion: Counting colours over calories engages long-term lifestyle changes besides aesthetic value delivery. The review reinforces improved health from colour-associated organic diet, substantiaing health promotional messages endorsing rainbow nutrition in daily meals.

References: Minich DM. (2019). A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow". J Nutr Metab. 2019,2125070.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared