Cook in color: tell me which colors you eat and I’ll tell you how to feel better

We become what we eat: the different energetic, nutritional, symbolic qualities of the food we put on the plate form our cells and affect the way we live, think and react. Our mind, our nervous system and even our temperament and our emotions are more or less heavily influenced.

Choosing seasonal products deriving from agriculture that respects the environment, the life and rhythm of plants (therefore organic or bio-dynamic products: more than certification, the important thing is the real commitment of those who cultivate, their deep motivation) is the first step. Cooking with the desire to give pleasure and nourishment to the guests, and in a healthy way, is the second step, equally important: science has shown that a dish cooked with love is better than another one prepared without particular intentions.

The third aspect not to be forgotten is variety: it is important to bring all the colors of the rainbow to the table. There will be a symbolic value (each color speaks and supports a segment, so to speak, of our emotional range; each type of food brings with it its own history and specific information) but also a chemical and a nutritional value, because the more a food is colored the more it is rich in nutrients.

As a result, the more the range of colors is complete, the richer our supply is. Let's see how.

Red, of energy and life
The phytonutrients contained in these foods can protect against cancer, can reduce the risk of diabetes, can support eye health and improve the appearance of the skin, and they can also help the circulatory system and blood pressure.

Orange and bright yellow, joy and warmth
Oranges are rich in alpha and beta carotene which are transformed by the organism into precious vitamin A: it supports immune function; it helps the health of the eyes, the joints, the bones, the heart. Yellow is more related to vitamin C, whose virtues are well known: it helps to reduce inflammation, to prevent allergies, it promotes skin health because it is able to fight free radicals and it has a substance that strengthens collagen.

Green, detox
Green foods are rich in chlorophyll which is an antioxidant with an important purifying effect, it helps the liver and kidneys to eliminate toxins in the body, they support digestive enzymes and nutrient absorption. Green foods also contain high amounts of vitamin K, necessary for blood clotting and with an important role for the bones.

Blue, indigo, violet: freedom and creativity
These colors carry with them an important number of powerful antioxidants; they help the heart and the brain (especially memory) and reduce the inflammation of the body. They also seem to play a positive role in supporting HDL, the "good cholesterol".

Brown, stillness and roots
The beneficial substances contained in these foods are tannins, able to interact with proteins, they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective properties at the cardiovascular level, and they reinforce the venous tissue.

White, origin and purity
These fruits and vegetables support bone health, they help reduce cholesterol and reduce inflammation, they protect against certain cancers and balance hormones; they stimulate the immune system and have antibiotic, antibacterial, protective properties against tumors.

Black, chaos and inner light
Fruits and vegetables of this color have a high presence of polyphenols, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective functions against chronic-degenerative diseases.

And if for someone it might seem difficult to be able to bring this spectacular rainbow, every day of the year, at lunch and dinner, at the table, no fear. You will always be able to count on the indications, recipes, tips and insights of "Color cooking, 120 healthy and tasty veg recipes for the four seasons". The authors are Jessica Callegaro and Lorenzo Locatelli, for Macro Editions.

120 ideas to put colors, beauty and harmony, creativity and imagination in the plate, to eat in a healthy way, contributing to the health of the mind, emotions and body but not only: those who want will also find a non-ordinary approach, with the possibility to use unusual ingredients (sprouts, wild flowers, flavored waters, fermented foods, roots, veg cheeses) and self-production techniques.

It is as if the journey comes to you, which recalls those who do not just see with wonder and amazement the magic of the rainbow but want to get inside, know it better: following it, in fact, as tradition tells, you can find the magic pot full of treasures. This rainbow of colors opens up to a more ethical, conscious lifestyle, between emotions and energies. Another life, another well-being.

You can try, with appetite.