Call us at 1-833-252-2737 (TTY 711)

8AM-8PM Monday-Friday

Call us at 1-833-252-2737 (TTY 711)

8AM-8PM Monday-Friday
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/570e35b01d07c0cbf8f6a375/t/65158e5697c7286a83ff9c98/1695911510295/CLH-28136_CenterLight-Pace_Logo_Horz_Color-Full_CMYK.png
,

Eat the Rainbow!

,

CenterLight Dietitian Kaitlyn Hempfling recently spoke on CenterLight’s Facebook page about how eating a variety of colorful foods can help us live healthier. In this blog post, she explains how vibrantly colored foods can add needed nutrition to our diet.


WHY IS EATING COLORFUL FOODS IMPORTANT?

Antioxidants give fruits and vegetables their color, and each color has its own nutritious benefits. The more vibrant the color is, the more antioxidants a fruit or a vegetable has.


Why can colorful foods help make us healthier?

It’s because antioxidants protect our cells from free radicals.

Free radicals are produced when your body breaks down food or in certain situations when you are exposed to smoke or radiation. They play a role in diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

Plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, whole grains and nuts are the best sources of antioxidants. And since different antioxidants have different colors, it’s very important to eat the rainbow!

Remember that no one color is more beneficial than another, which is another reason why you should incorporate as many colors in your diet as you can. Also, in some foods such as apples, peaches and eggplants, the majority of the antioxidants are in the skin. I recommend to try to avoid peeling these items to get the most benefits.


Benefits of each color

Katherine D. McManus, MS, RD, LDN from Harvard Health also spoke about the benefits of each color of the rainbow in the foods we eat, such as:

Red

strawberries

Red fruits and vegetables are rich in lycopene, which can help protect against prostate cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease. Examples of red foods include apples, strawberries, tomatoes, cherries, beets, red grapes, red onions, raspberries and watermelon.


Orange and Yellow Foods

corn

Orange and yellow foods are rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in your body, which helps to support healthy eyes, skin, teeth and bones.

Orange and yellow foods also help support inter-cellular communication, which is good because it can help prevent heart disease and some cancers.

Examples of orange and yellow foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, orange and yellow peppers, oranges, cantaloupe, corn, winter squash, pineapple, tangerine, mangoes and bananas.


Green

green foods

These foods are rich in chemicals that inhibit the action of cancer-causing compounds, called “carcinogens.” They also have vitamin K, which is essential for our blood health and bone health.

Examples of green foods include leafy greens such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, avocado, kiwi, green tea, green herbs, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus and artichokes.


Blue and Purple Foods

blue foods.jpg

These foods have something called anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that have anti-aging properties. They help your memory, and can help lower high blood pressure.

You can find this in blueberries, blackberries, grapes, raisins, eggplant, plums, lavender, figs, prunes and purple cabbage.


White and Brown

onions.jpg

White and brown foods have anti-tumor properties.

You can find this in onions, cauliflower, garlic, leeks, parsnips and mushrooms.


HOW to make your diet more colorful

  1. Try to have different colors in each meal that you eat. For example, if you’re having potatoes as your starch for lunch, try to add broccoli as a side.

  2. When you’re doing your grocery shopping, take a second to look at your cart and be mindful of the colors you see. If you find that you’re only buying one or two colors, think about where you can make substitutions. For example, if you always get a bag of potatoes, consider buying a bag of tri-colored potatoes instead. If you always buy apples and oranges when you shop, consider varying what fruits you get weekly—perhaps a banana this week and blueberries next time.

  3. Add fruits and vegetables to foods you already love to cook or prepare. For example, if you’re cooking pasta, consider adding spinach or other ingredients into the dish. This will not change the taste but will add nutrients to your diet.

  4. Make your own smoothies. A basic smoothie can consist of frozen fruits, low fat Greek yogurt or milk and water all blended together. You can great creative and add in different fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. You can even try to add foods you don’t usually eat, since it will be blended with the rest of the flavors in your smoothie. Seeds like chia seeds or ground flax seeds can also be added, which will not change the taste but will add nutrients.


I hope you are able to learn something from these simple tips, and that you’ll start adding more colorful foods to your diet!

 


CenterLight Teamcare is committed to providing accurate health-related information to help individuals live well, stay healthy and make well-informed healthcare decisions. Information in this material is strictly educational. We recommend that users consult with their doctor regarding their care. If you would like to learn more about CenterLight Teamcare, please call: 1-877-212-8877 (TTY 711), 8AM - 8PM, Monday - Friday. Representatives or message service also available on weekends.


H3329_2021_BLOGEatTheRainbow Approved 07022021
Last updated June 11, 2021

About the Writer

Kaitlyn Hempfling, RD, CDN is a Registered Dietitian at CenterLight Healthcare.

Kaitlyn

how do dietitians help participants?

If you have questions, please call us at 1-833-252-2737, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. TTY users should call 711. You may also request a callback from one of our representatives by completing the form below:
  • facebook icon
  • instagram icon
  • linkedin icon
  • youtube icon
 
We welcome your inquiries. Please call our Participant Services Department at 1-833-CL-CARES (1-833-252-2737) Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM through 8:00 PM. TTY users should call 711. You may also write to us at 136-65 37th Ave., Flushing, NY 11354.

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2017_WEB_002 Approved 09252018
Last updated on April 30, 2024
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2017_WEB_002 Approved MMDDYYYY
Pending DOH and CMS Approval
Last updated on December 27, 2017
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_ElectronicFundsTransfer Approved 01192022
Last updated on December 28, 2021

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_SDR_Training Approved 01192022
Last updated on December 21, 2021

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2017_WEB_002PressRoom Approved 02062018

Last updated on May 8, 2018
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2017_WEB_Caregivers Approved MMDDYYYY
Pending DOH and CMS Approval
Last updated on December 7, 2017
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_LANDING PAGE_003r1_M Approved 01072019
Last updated on January 4, 2019

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_LANDING PAGE_004r1_M Approved 01072019
Last updated on January 4, 2019

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_JanuaryBLOG Approved 02132019
Last updated January 30, 2018

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2023HomePage Approved 01102023
Last updated on December 27, 2022


CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_Activities Approved 11262018
Last updated on December 31, 2018

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_LANDING PAGE_005r1_M Approved 01072019
Last updated on January 4, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_LANDING PAGE_006r1_M Approved 01072019
Last updated on January 4, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2018_WEB_LANDING PAGE_007r1_M Approved 01072019
Last updated on January 4, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_WEB_Activities_Approved 03122019
Last updated on March 2, 2020
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_WEB_May Approved 05152019
Last updated on May 13, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_Caregiver_r001 Approved 03132019
Last updated on February 25, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_CDPAS Approved 03132019
Last updated on February 25, 2019

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_ProviderHomeV3 Approved 01192022
Last updated on March 29, 2022

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_CDPAS_caregiver Approved 03132019
Last updated on February 25, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_CDPAS_caregiver_var1 Approved 05032019
Last updated on April 18, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_July2019_BLOG_home Approved 07232019
Last updated July 5, 2019
Participants are enrolled in CenterLight Teamcare at the time of filming.

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_LifeAtTeamcare_r001 Approved 05152019
Last updated on May 29, 2019
Participants are enrolled in CenterLight Teamcare at the time of filming.

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_LifeAtCenterLight Approved 06022023
Last updated on May 22, 2023

Participants are enrolled in CenterLight Teamcare at the time of filming.

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_Betty_landingpage Approved 07232019
Last updated on July 3, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2019_caregiverbettyvid Approved MMDDYYYY
Pending CMS and DOH approval Last updated on August 19, 2019
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2021_TeamcareHome_JUN Approved 07022021
Last updated on June 11, 2021
CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2020_Provider_February Approved MMDDYYYY
Pending CMS and DOH approval
Last updated on September 28, 2020

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2020_WEBWhereWeAre Approved 01132020
Last updated on January 3, 2020

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2020_WEB_covid19updates Approved 04072020
Last updated on March 17, 2020

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2020_WEB_FBevents Approved 04172020
Last updated on April 14, 2020

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2021ParticipantCorner Approved 03192021
Last updated on March 4, 2021

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_providernews1 Approved 01262021
Last updated on December 30, 2020

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_2021ParticipantInfo Approved 01192022
Last updated on April 30, 2024

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_OTC Approved 04142021
Last updated on April 2, 2021

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_ProviderNewsMar2022 Approved 04202022
Last updated on March 29, 2022

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_myneedscard_web_v3 Approved 09062022
Last updated on September 14, 2022

CenterLight Healthcare has an approved PACE contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and NY State (NYS). Enrollment in CenterLight Healthcare PACE depends on renewal of its contract with CMS and NYS. Members may be fully and personally liable for the cost of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program agreement services.

H3329_ProviderLookUp Approved 01192022
Last updated on December 28, 2021

Photo credit: Linda Farwell Photography