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The Food Rainbow

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15 October 2024
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The principles of healthy nutrition are represented in the food rainbow. Each of the rainbow colors represents several food groups and the recommended frequency of consumption:

  • The green rainbow - foods that should be consumed in every meal.
  • The yellow rainbow - at least once a day.
  • The orange rainbow - several times a week.
  • The pink rainbow - seldom.
  • The red rainbow - foods we recommend to avoid or consume as little as possible.

Rainbow – the four dimensions of a healthy diet

Health value - preventing diseases by adopting healthy eating habits.

Social value - strengthening family and social ties through eating and cooking at home.

Environmental value - consuming local food and preferring plant food to animal food is also friendlier to the environment, consuming less energy and resources (water, landscape, food transportation, etc.).

Economic value - helps in saving food expenses and strengthening local agriculture.

Main guidelines of a healthy diet for older adults

Food types: vegetables, fruit, whole grains*, and drinking water.

Nutrition values: vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants.

Recommended frequency: every meal.

Recommendations: 

  • Choose foods from the green rainbow as a base for each meal. 
  • Vary colors, textures, and combinations.
  • Consume at least five servings of vegetables and fruit a day.
  • Prefer fresh, seasonal and raw foods.
  • Use fresh herbs and prepare food at home.
  • Prefer drinking water over sweetened beverages.

* Whole grains for example: oats, whole wheat, buckwheat, rye, barley, whole rice, friki, millet, quinoa, teff, and corn.

Food types: oils, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy products and its substitutes. 

Nutrition values: 

  • Legumes: protein, dietary fibers and a variety of vitamins and minerals. 
  • Olive oil:source of healthy fat, antioxidant nuts, and seeds – source of healthy fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers.
  • Milk and its substitutes: protein and calcium.

Recommended frequency: at least once a day.

Food types: eggs, fish and poultry.

Recommended frequency: several times a week.

Recommendations:  

  • Prefer raw foods for home cooking.
  • For vegetarians: poultry and fish can be replaced with eggs.
  • For vegans: animal food products can be replaced with legumes.
  • It is recommended to avoid meat consumption (including poultry and turkey) at least once a week: instead, you can consume legumes, fish or nuts.

Food types: beef (red meat).

Recommended frequency: rarely, up to 300 grams per week.

  • Minimize consumption as much as possible.
  • Prefer raw beef meat and not processed meat.
  • Season moderately; most of the meat in Israel is kosher and contains large amounts of salt.

Food types: processed foods, products containing high levels of saturated fats, salt and sugar.

These products are usually marked with a red sticker.

For example: sweets, snacks, sweetened beverages, processed meat, ketchup, seasoning powders, instant dishes, etc.

Although these products are cheap, available and tasty, they are high in calories and low in nutrients. Consuming large amounts of them over time can harm health.

General dietary guidelines for older adults

  • The Food Rainbow fits everyone, including the caretakers.
  • It is recommended to change your dietary habits slowly and gradually. This way, it will be easier to maintain these habits.