We know that incorporating more bright and fresh fruits and vegetables can be a game-changer when it comes to weight loss. But following a rainbow diet is also a heart-smart move that can lower your blood pressure. How? The vibrant colors of foods like red peppers and brussels sprouts aren’t just pretty on your plate—they’re packed with nutrients that can support heart health, improve circulation and reduce the risk of hypertension-related complications. Keep reading to learn how to make your meals more colorful and discover this healthy diet’s pressure-lowering perks. 

What is the rainbow diet?

Simply put, a rainbow diet means consuming various colorful fruits and vegetables daily. Each color has necessary nutrients that help to support long-term health. 

“By ‘eating the rainbow,’ someone is more likely to get a full range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,” says Alexandra Ward, MD, medical director of Women’s Heart Program at Jersey City Medical Center and cardiologist with RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group. It’s a fun and easy way to make meals healthier, especially for people with high blood pressure. (Discover what’s considered a normal and healthy blood pressure for your age here.)

How the rainbow diet can lower blood pressure

It goes without saying that getting regular physical activity, reducing stress and following a balanced diet can help manage high blood pressure. But how does the color of the foods you’re eating impact your blood pressure readings? Eating colorful fruits and vegetables can help target key factors that affect heart health. Here, some of the biggest health benefits:

Potassium flushes excess sodium

Bananas, leafy greens and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of potassium, which helps to counterbalance the effects of excess sodium in the body. Ultimately, this can ease tension in the blood vessel walls, leading to lower blood pressure, explains  Brynna Connor, MD, Healthcare Ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com.

Nitrates improve blood flow

Nitrate-rich foods such as beets and leafy greens aid in the relaxing and widening of blood vessels. “This can help reduce both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure,” says Dr. Connor. 

Antioxidants reduce inflammation

Inflammation and oxidative stress are two major contributors to hypertension and vascular dysfunction. Dr. Ward recommends eating more berries (rich in anthocyanins) and tomatoes (high in lycopene) to combat these issues and support healthy blood pressure. 

Low-calorie foods ease strain on the heart 

Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and sodium, which is key for managing blood pressure long-term, explains Dr. Ward.  She notes that eating low-sodium foods helps prevent excess fluid buildup. Plus, it reduces strain on the heart, keeps calories in check and can support a healthy weight, another important factor for maintaining normal blood pressure over time.

Other health benefits of eating the rainbow

While a colorful plate does wonders for blood pressure, the benefits don’t stop there. A balanced diet of nutritious fruits and vegetables can also help overall health and wellbeing. Here’s how: 

• Better cardiovascular health: Dr. Connor says fruits and veggies can improve cholesterol levels, reduce arterial inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Sharper vision: Certain yellow and orange vegetables (like carrots and winter squash) support eye health and may protect against age-related macular degeneration, explains Dr. Connor. 
• Sharper cognition: “Flavonoid-rich foods like berries and leafy greens have been linked to slowing cognitive decline and improving brain function,” she says. 

How to follow a rainbow diet 

To reap the rewards of a colorful diet, you should aim to eat five to nine servings of colorful fruits and vegetables per day. To put a serving into perspective, Dr. Connor recommends following these guidelines:

• 1 cup of raw vegetables or fruit
• ½ cup of cooked vegetables or fruit
• 1 cup of leafy greens
• ½ cup of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice (though whole foods are preferred)

Dr. Ward adds that aiming for more is even better. “The goal is to get a mix of colors—ideally, three or more different colors daily,” she says. Even small portions count, like a handful of berries or a half-cup of carrots.

Her advice: “A rainbow diet isn’t just about color, but variety and balance,” she says. Additionally, eating more colorfully helps scale back your intake of less healthy foods, like processed snacks or too much red meat. The key is to start small, stay consistent and enjoy the process of discovering new fruits and vegetables.