Color Your Plate to Balance Your Chakras

Color Your Plate to Balance Your Chakras

The bright, rich colors naturally found in the plants that we eat contain chemicals called phytonutrients. “Phyto” is Greek for “plant.” Phytonutrients exist in plants to keep them healthy as they live and grow. They act as a protection mechanism for them such as from insect attacks or UV damage, for instance. When humans eat these colorful plants, we also benefit from the phytonutrients found in them. They aren’t considered essential nutrients (meaning we don’t necessarily need them to stay alive like we do with fats, carbohydrates, proteins and water); however, when we eat phytonutrients, they provide our body with myriad health and protection benefits too. For example, they provide us with antioxidants which can protect us from cancer, they help to repair DNA damage as a result of toxin exposure, they can even improve our detoxification pathways and intercellular communication.

The benefits of phytonutrients are wide and vast. There are over 25,000 different phytonutrients in the foods that we eat, but for the purposes of this article, I will categorize our review of these subcategories of phytonutrients in order of the chakra that they help to balance and support. This will give you a better idea of how everything relates and is connected.

Chakra: Root

Location: Skeletal structure, legs, and feet

Element: Earth

Responsibilities: Immune system, adrenals, grounding

Color: Red

Primary Phytonutrients: Resveratrol and lycopene

Our first chakra is called our root chakra. Physically the root represents our skeletal structure (bones) as well as our legs and feet. It is associated with grounding into the Earth, and being grounded in our life. Our root is quite literally the foundation upon which our body is built, so it comes as no surprise that I also is responsible for regulating our immune system and our emotions as well.

Eating foods that are rich in the color red, as well as protein for our skeletal structure, can help to improve our overall sense of stability, our internal defense mechanisms as well as ability to feel calm and secure. Resveratrol is the phytonutrient that makes all of the red fruits and vegetables deep, rich, red. Think: beets, red apples, cranberries, pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes and grapes or red wine. Resveratrol can help improve overall blood flow and has been widely studied for its potential benefits for reducing certain cancers. Lycopene has also been well studied for its cancer-reducing effects as well as its help in improving skin health too.

Increase your intake of red foods, plant-based or sustainably grown proteins as well as root vegetables to help balance this chakra if you are feeling sick, stressed, or ungrounded.

Chakra: Sacral

Location: Below belly button, near reproductive organs

Element: Water

Responsibilities: Reproduction, creativity

Color: Orange

Primary Phytonutrient: Carotenoids

Our second chakra is our sacral chakra which rests below our belly button and above our pubic bone. It is the center for physical reproduction as well as creativity and birthing new ideas. It is the center in which we are able to feel intimacy, pleasure as well as connection to ourselves and others. An imbalanced sacral chakra can manifest in lack of creativity, low self-confidence, urinary issues or trouble with actual reproduction and pregnancy.  

Eating foods that are rich in carotenoids which are predominately orange in color are wonderful for your sacral chakra. Carotenoids can also be found in red foods but are most often found in yellow and orange foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, papaya, cantaloupe, mangos, bell peppers, oranges, peaches and more.

Our sacral chakra is also represented by water, as it’s our primary “flow” chakra. So if you are struggling with creativity, getting pregnant, or intimacy, try drinking more water, adding more healthy fats into your diet (like olive oil, nuts or seeds) and bulking up on the carotenoid-rich, orange foods.

Chakra: Solar Plexus

Location: Upper abdomen, below the sternum

Element: Fire

Responsibilities: Digestion, drive, power

Color: Yellow

Primary Phytonutrients: Beta-Cryptothaxin and Curcumin

Our third chakra is called our solar plexus chakra. It resides in our belly, just below our sternum. This chakra controls our energy, which is why it also relates to digestion. We need a lot of heat and fire to digest our food for the conversion of food to nutrients and energy. It also represents our overall motivation and drive in life. When imbalanced, you may experience poor digestion, issues with your digestive organs (liver, stomach, pancreas, etc.), lack of motivation, or general fatigue.

Beta-cryptothanxin is found in yellow fruits and veggies. Similarly, a phytonutrient called curcumin which is found in turmeric is also included in this category and helpful to this chakra. Including yellow foods like bananas, lemons, yellow curry, bell peppers, and yellow squash will help support your fire. Additionally, since this chakra is rooted in our energy production, it also includes healthy grains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, spelt and rye. Increasing your yellow foods and healthy grains can help you improve your drive, digestion and overall power in your life.

Chakra: Heart

Location: Chest and ribcage

Element: Air

Responsibilities: Heart, compassion, love

Color: Green

Primary Phytonutrients: Lutein and indoles

Our fourth chakra is our heart chakra which is represented by the color green. It is probably obvious that our heart chakra is also responsible for our love centers, and our ability to feel love, joy and compassion for ourselves and others. Because the heart chakra is in our chest and ribcage, it also includes our lungs and breathing too. If you are out of balanced in your heart chakra, you might experience circulation or heart-related issues or diseases such as high cholesterol, or blood pressure imbalances. Or you may experience issues with self-worth, resentment or jealousy.

Some of the key phytonutrients found in the healthy green foods that support this chakra include lutein and indoles which are found in most any and all the green, cruciferous and leafy vegetables. To better support this system, include foods like kale, broccoli, spinach, parsley, celery, cucumber, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, green apples or green grapes.  

Chakra: Throat

Location: Esophagus

Element: Sound/Music

Responsibilities: Thyroid, speaking, communication, truth

Color: Aquamarine

Primary Phytonutrients: Fucoidan and Flavanoids

Our fifth chakra is our throat chakra. It is located in and around our esophagus and represents the physiology of our thyroid and our throat. This energetic center represents our ability to communicate well and to speak our truth and authenticity. If you are imbalanced in your throat chakra, you may have hyper or hypothyroidism or other hormone imbalances. You may struggle to communicate at work or in your interpersonal relationships. Or, you could have problems being authentic to yourself or to the outside world.

This chakra is very strongly supported by sea plants, as they are rich in a variety of minerals including iodine, and also in important phytonutrients like fucoidan and flavanoids. Incorporating more sea plants like seaweed, nori, kelp, dulse or agar, for instance, will help support overall thyroid function, hormonal balance, as well as your ability to speak your truth and communicate more effectively.

Chakra: Third-Eye Chakra

Location: Head and Brain

Element: Light

Responsibilities: Learning, memory, imagination

Color: Dark blue and purple

Primary Phytonutrients: Anthocyanin and polyphenols

Our sixth chakra is our third-eye chakra which is responsible for our brain health as well as our ability to learn, understand, and manage information. It also corresponds to our imagination and intuition too. It is the energetic center for fostering our sense of self and sense of purpose. An imbalanced third-eye chakra may result in depression, cognitive difficulties (like trouble focusing or remembering information), issues with movement of muscles. It could also mean a lack of insight or sense of self.

Anthocyanin is responsible for the deep blue color of foods like blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes and eggplant. Similarly, foods with polyphenols including cocoa powder and dark chocolate, certain nuts and black teas are all beneficial in helping to balance this chakra. They are both known to improve vascular function, blood flow and overall cognitive function. Not to mention, they are potent antioxidants that can help mitigate oxidative stress that can cause damage to our internal cells.

Chakra: Crown Chakra

Location: Just above the head

Element: Divine consciousness

Responsibilities: Detoxification and spiritual connection

Color: White

Primary Phytonutrients: Glucosinolates, Sulforaphane and Organosulfur

The last chakra, the crown chakra, is the primary energy house for detoxification and for connecting to the greater consciousness, known by a variety of names such as Universe, Spirit, God, Allah, etc. depending on your belief system. This chakra is the primary source for detoxification, which is why it’s represented by white and fibrous fruits and vegetables that are known to help to support our detoxification pathways. It is also supported by fasting and clearing our system of food entirely. When imbalanced in the crown chakra, you might experience feelings of disconnect, insignificance, depression or even sensitivity to light.

Foods rich in the phytonutrients glucosinolates, sulforaphane and organosulfurs which can be found in white foods like cauliflower, white onions, garlic, and coconut, for instance, are incredibly beneficial for strengthening this chakra.

Coloring your plate each and every day is an important part of balancing our body, mind and spirit alike. We have an internal ecosystem that is always seeking a state of homeostasis and equilibrium. If we can work to balance ourselves every day, we are more likely to be healthy, happy and well. Try eating as many varieties of colors and from different food sources as you can each week. This will give your body microdoses of these incredibly potent phytonutrients to help protect our bodies from toxins and disease, promote overall balance, and also promote healthy aging too.