By: Kris Sollid, RD   Date: 3/21/11

March has come (and almost gone) and spring is finally here.  Every year, March awakens our senses from their winter slumber offering a virtual appetizer for the seasons to come.  The sights, the smells, and the spectacular colors will all soon return to remind us that life isn’t always black and white.  March is National Nutrition Month® and fittingly, this year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color.”

As a registered dietitian, I love colorful food.  It makes food fun, it makes food visually appealing, and most importantly, it makes food healthful.  The colors of our food represent the myriad of nutrients that our bodies need to thrive.  However, that doesn’t mean that all foods lacking in color are somehow less nutritious.

Should White Stay out of Sight?
White foods have come under scrutiny in recent years, mainly for their perceived association with foods that are higher in calorie and lower in nutrients.  In fact, there’s even a fad diet that touts the elimination of all white foods.  While it’s important to monitor your intake of high-calorie, less nutrient-dense foods, generally speaking, eliminating entire groups of food (including colors) from your diet is not a healthful or sustainable way to maintain or lose weight over the long-term.  A successful long-term eating plan should be one that you enjoy, not endure.  Would you enjoy not having egg whites, milk, yogurt, many cheeses, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, bananas, potatoes, white fish, poultry, pork, pasta, or jasmine rice ever again?  These foods have so much more to offer than just calories—they’re packed with nutrients.

White Foods Have Nutrients Too
It’s the pigments in our food that are responsible for their color and potential health benefits, but many assume white foods aren’t as nutritious as their more colorful counterparts.  White fruits and vegetables are packed with phytonutrients—they get their color from anthoxanthins and contain other phytonutrients that may contribute to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as potentially inhibiting cancer growth. 

White foods are also sources of:
• Potassium (white beans, potatoes, halibut, yogurt, parsnips, mushrooms, bananas)
• Protein (poultry, white fish, pork, egg whites, milk and dairy foods)
• Calcium (milk and dairy foods, turnips, white beans, tofu)
• Fiber (navy and white beans)
• Vitamin D (milk, yogurt)

This year’s National Nutrition Month theme “Eat Right with Color” is a great message and certainly one to live by.  But remember, a healthful diet is one that encourages foods from all food groups and colors, including white.  What's your favorite white food?