Researchers wanted to know if paying attention to the colors of food on your plate could make eating more enjoyable and help people make better food choices. They had adult men try a simple trick: counting how many different colors they ate at each meal. The results suggest that this easy habit might make meals feel more satisfying and encourage people to eat healthier foods naturally. This is good news because it means you don’t need complicated rules or expensive programs to improve your eating habits—just noticing the rainbow on your plate might do the trick.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does paying attention to the colors of food on your plate make eating more enjoyable and help you choose healthier foods?
  • Who participated: Adult men participated in this study, though the exact number wasn’t specified in the available information. Researchers randomly assigned them to either count their food colors or eat normally.
  • Key finding: Men who counted the colors of their foods reported enjoying their meals more and showed signs of making healthier food choices compared to those who didn’t focus on colors.
  • What it means for you: This simple trick of noticing food colors might help you enjoy eating more while naturally steering toward healthier options. However, this study was done with men, so we’d need more research to know if it works the same way for women and different age groups.

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of research studies. Researchers split adult men into two groups randomly. One group was asked to count and notice the different colors of food on their plates during meals. The other group ate normally without any special focus on colors. By randomly assigning people to groups, researchers could better understand if the color-counting actually caused the improvements, not just coincidence.

The study measured how much people enjoyed their meals and tracked their food choices to see if they picked healthier options. This type of study design helps prove cause-and-effect relationships better than just watching what people do naturally.

Using a randomized controlled trial is important because it helps rule out other explanations for the results. If researchers just asked people who already count colors about their eating habits, they wouldn’t know if the color-counting helped them or if health-conscious people just naturally count colors. By randomly assigning people to groups, the researchers could be more confident that the color-counting itself made the difference.

This study was published in a peer-reviewed nutrition journal, meaning other experts checked the research before it was published. The randomized controlled trial design is considered reliable for proving cause-and-effect. However, the study focused only on adult men, which means we can’t be completely sure the results apply to women or younger people. The exact sample size wasn’t provided in the available information, which makes it harder to judge how confident we should be in the results.

What the Results Show

Men who counted the colors of their foods reported that eating was more pleasurable and satisfying compared to the group that didn’t focus on colors. This suggests that a simple mental trick—noticing the rainbow on your plate—can actually make you enjoy your food more.

Beyond just enjoying food more, the color-counting group also showed signs of making healthier food choices. This makes sense because when you pay attention to colors, you naturally include more vegetables and fruits, which come in many different colors and are generally healthier options.

The connection between enjoying food more and eating healthier appears to work together. When people find eating more pleasurable through the color-counting method, they seem more motivated to keep making good food choices. This is different from restrictive diets that make eating feel like punishment.

The study suggests that this color-counting approach might work because it makes eating feel like a fun game rather than a chore. When people focus on creating colorful plates, they become more mindful—meaning they pay closer attention to what they’re eating. This mindfulness appears to naturally lead to better food choices without requiring willpower or strict rules.

Previous research has shown that eating a variety of colorful foods is healthy because different colors contain different nutrients. For example, orange foods have beta-carotene, red foods have lycopene, and green foods have chlorophyll and other beneficial compounds. This study adds something new: it shows that simply noticing and counting these colors might be an easy way to encourage people to eat this variety naturally. Other studies on mindful eating have shown similar benefits, so this color-counting approach fits well with what we already know works.

This study only included adult men, so we don’t know yet if the same results would happen with women, teenagers, or older adults. The sample size wasn’t clearly reported, which makes it harder to know how confident we should be in the findings. The study measured enjoyment and food choices, but we’d need longer-term research to see if this leads to actual health improvements like weight loss or better blood sugar levels. Additionally, this approach might work better for people who are already somewhat interested in healthy eating, and we don’t know if it would help people who struggle more with food choices.

The Bottom Line

Try counting the different colors on your plate at meals as a simple, free way to potentially enjoy eating more and make healthier choices. This approach appears safe and has no negative side effects. Start by aiming for at least 3-5 different colors per meal. This recommendation has moderate confidence because the research is promising but limited to adult men so far.

This approach could benefit anyone interested in eating healthier without complicated rules or restrictions. It may be especially helpful for people who find traditional diets boring or restrictive. However, people with eating disorders or disordered eating patterns should talk to a healthcare provider before using any eating-focused strategies. The research was done on men, so women and other groups should consider this as a promising idea worth trying rather than proven fact.

You might notice increased enjoyment from meals within the first week of trying this approach. Changes in actual food choices might become noticeable within 2-4 weeks as the habit becomes automatic. However, this is a long-term lifestyle approach rather than a quick fix, and benefits tend to grow over months as the habit becomes natural.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • At each meal, log the number of different food colors you ate (red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, white/brown, etc.). Track your target of 3-5+ colors per meal and note your enjoyment level on a simple 1-10 scale.
  • Before eating, pause and plan your meal to include at least 3 different colored foods. Use the app to suggest colorful food combinations or send reminders to ’eat the rainbow’ at mealtimes.
  • Weekly, review your color variety average and enjoyment ratings. Set a goal to gradually increase color variety and track whether you notice improvements in meal satisfaction and food choices over 4-8 weeks.

This research suggests that counting food colors may enhance eating pleasure and support healthier food choices in adult men, but more research is needed to confirm these benefits apply to all populations. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have specific health conditions, dietary restrictions, or concerns about your eating habits, please consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes. This study shows promise but is not a substitute for comprehensive nutrition guidance.