New national research reveals 47% of Australians are eating four or fewer colours of fruit and vegetables each week
Most of us are confident we eat a varied diet. But new national research commissioned by Australian plant-based nutrition brand eimele reveals the gap isn’t necessarily about how much fruit and vegetables we eat, but how many different colours make it onto our plates.
The research, recently unveiled at an eimele event in Sydney, found nearly half (47 per cent) of Australians eat four or fewer colours of fruit and vegetables each week. Yet seven in 10 (71 per cent) are confident their diet includes a good variety of plant foods. Only 12 per cent deliberately buy different fruits and vegetables to seek variety.
The research paints a picture of everyday habits overcoming good intentions.
Accredited Practising Dietitian, nutritionist, social media content creator, and eimele® Essential Rainbow spokesperson, Ms Julie-Ann Yap, Sydney, explained: “Alongside eating more fruits and vegetables, we also need to encourage variety.”
An umbrella review of the evidence, drawing on data from more than 37 million participants, found variety in the colour-associated bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables may provide additional health benefits beyond total fruit and vegetable intake.
“This growing area of research supports colour as a simple visual prompt for dietary diversity, and adding just one more colour to the plate each day is a realistic place to start,” Julie-Ann said.
“Eating a range of colours is a simple way to encourage greater variety in the plant foods and plant compounds in the diet.”
According to Exercise Physiologist, Sports Scientist, Diabetes Educator, and eimele® Essential Rainbow ambassador, Drew Harrisberg, Sydney, “The new research found more than half (51 per cent) of Australians do not regularly prioritise colour variety in their food choices, and two in three (67 per cent) eat the same fruits and vegetables out of habit, despite 57 per cent describing their diet as varied.
“Nearly half (45 per cent) rarely or never use colour to judge dietary variety, 56 per cent rarely venture beyond familiar plant foods, and nine per cent eat only one to two colours each week,” Drew said.
Awareness of colour is high, but knowledge of its specific benefits is limited.
While 76 per cent know that different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different combinations of plant compounds, only 22 per cent actually use colour to guide what goes on their plate.
Furthermore, more than two in three (69 per cent) believe a wider variety of colours can positively impact overall health and wellbeing, yet 79 per cent are unaware of, or only aware of some of, the specific health benefits associated with certain food colours. In addition, 27 per cent are unaware or unsure that eating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables may provide additional benefits compared with simply eating more.
“Most people know colour matters in a general sense, but that doesn’t always translate into everyday choices, or an understanding of the specific benefits,” Drew said.
“Supporting healthy ageing was the most cited motivation for eating a greater variety of colourful fruits and vegetables (39 per cent), followed by having more energy (34 per cent), improved immune function (28 per cent), gut health (27 per cent), heart health (24 per cent) and weight management (23 per cent),” explained clinical nutritionist, food and nutrition educator, cookbook author, women’s health expert and eimele® Essential Rainbow spokesperson, Sally O’Neil, Gold Coast.
“With more than half of Australians willing to take a daily nutritional supplement containing colour compounds to support greater dietary diversity, the research suggests there may be an appetite for nutritional solutions that complement the simple step of adding one more colour to our plates each day,” Julie-Ann said.
Colour as a shortcut to variety is the idea behind eimele® Essential Rainbow 2.0.
“Colour offers a simple, visual way to think about variety, and that idea is the foundation of eimele® Essential Rainbow. With a new taste and the eimele® app, we want to help Australians make variety a habit, as part of a nutritious diet,” said Chief Executive Officer, eimele and Group Vice President – Australia and New Zealand, Access Corporate Group (which manages the eimele® brand), Mr Daniel Xu, Sydney.
The availability of Essential Rainbow through pharmacy provides another accessible place for individuals to ask questions about daily nutrition and explore whether nutritional support may be relevant to them.
About eimele® Essential Rainbow
eimele® Essential Rainbow is a daily nutritional supplement and supplementary sports food built around the premise that the colours of plant foods can provide a practical visual cue to the diversity of naturally occurring compounds found across the plant kingdom.
The formulation comprises 77 nutrients across seven colour blends (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, black and white), including plant protein, plant-based omega-threes, prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, digestive enzymes, antioxidants and 23 essential vitamins and minerals.
The berry-flavoured, two-scoop daily drink has a new taste.
eimele® Essential Rainbow is available through the eimele® online store, selected pharmacies and health and wellness retailers for $89.90.
