Ivan Shim

🥭 Culinary Diet of Tropical Plants by Assigning the Colour to the Day of the Week

🧾 Abstract

This structured rotation assigns a daily colour theme to tropical plant foods, promoting a diverse intake of natural phytonutrients across the week.
Each day highlights tropical fruits and vegetables selected for their dominant pigments and corresponding micronutrient profiles.
Blending — rather than juicing — retains dietary fibre, moderates glycaemic response, and supports satiety.
While the focus is on tropical plants, one non-tropical fruit (blueberry) is included for its unique pigment contribution.
This framework provides a practical and evidence-informed approach to encouraging nutritional diversity, digestive health, and culinary creativity.

Concept: A culinary, plant-based rotation organizing tropical foods by colour and weekday.
Structure: Each day corresponds to a distinct pigment group, encouraging a broad range of phytonutrient intake.
Scope: Includes fruits, vegetables, and herbs of non-animal origin.
Method: Ingredients are to be blended, not juiced, to preserve fibre, phytonutrients, and texture.
Orange daily: Orange is incorporated daily as a balancing and flavour-enhancing component, complementing all colour groups.
Goal: To promote variety and balanced nutrient exposure within a tropical dietary context.

Monday – 🔴 Red

Theme: Antioxidants · Circulation · Heart Health

Core Items:

Watermelon 🍉
Tomato 🍅
Beetroot 🫜

Nutrients: Lycopene, betalains, anthocyanins
Benefits: Supports cardiovascular function, assists red blood cell formation, and may enhance peripheral circulation.

Tuesday – 🟠 Orange

Theme: Carotenoids · Skin & Vision · Immunity

Core Items:

Carrot 🥕
Mango 🥭
Papaya

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, vitamin A, lutein
Benefits: Contributes to healthy vision, assists immune defence, and supports skin health.

Wednesday – 🟡 Yellow

Theme: Digestion · Energy · Mood Balance

Core Items:

Banana 🍌
Pineapple 🍍
Jackfruit

Nutrients: Vitamin C, bromelain, potassium
Benefits: Aids digestive enzyme activity, supports cellular energy metabolism, and may promote mood stability.

Thursday – 🟢 Green

Theme: Detoxification · Vitality · pH Balance

Core Items:

Honeydew 🍈
Guava (Psidium guajava)
Starfruit (Carambola)

Nutrients: Chlorophyll, vitamin C, dietary fibre
Benefits: Assists hydration, supports digestive regularity, and provides antioxidant protection.

Friday – 🔵 Blue / Purple

Theme: Brain Function · Circulation · Longevity

Core Items:

Purple dragon fruit (pitaya)
Purple passion fruit
Blueberry (non-tropical) 🫐

Nutrients: Anthocyanins, polyphenols, flavonoids
Benefits: Provides potent antioxidants, supports vascular function, and contributes to cognitive and cellular protection.

🌈 Summary Table

Note: Orange 🍊 is included every day as a universal component for acidity balance, flavour harmony, and vitamin C contribution.

Day	Colour Theme	Core Items	Nutritional Highlights
Monday	🔴 Red	Watermelon 🍉, Tomato 🍅, Beetroot 🫜	Lycopene, betalains; cardiovascular and circulatory support
Tuesday	🟠 Orange	Carrot 🥕, Mango 🥭, Papaya	Beta-carotene, vitamin A; eye and skin health
Wednesday	🟡 Yellow	Banana 🍌, Pineapple 🍍, Jackfruit	Vitamin C, bromelain, potassium; digestion and energy
Thursday	🟢 Green	Honeydew 🍈, Guava (Psidium guajava), Starfruit (Carambola)	Chlorophyll, vitamin C, fibre; hydration and digestive support
Friday	🔵 Blue/Purple	Purple dragon fruit, Purple passion fruit, Blueberry (non-tropical) 🫐	Anthocyanins, polyphenols; antioxidant, brain and vascular support