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When it comes to eating the rainbow, we often hear everyone stressing over the importance of adding more greens to our plates. But while the age-old maxim that you should eat your kale and spinach certainly holds true, don't overlook other colored produce, including foods that are yellow — the color of sunshine and happiness.
Loaded with an abundance of carotenoids and bioflavonoids that work as antioxidants, vitamin C, and other health-boosting nutrients, yellow foods definitely deserve a special place on your dinner plate.
Here're the top 36 foods that are yellow you should be eating this year.
36 Yellow Foods
1. Yellow Peppers
Remarkably eye-catching, these bell-shaped peppers are a must-have. You can toss them in salsa or use them in a stir fry. Yellow bell peppers sweetness will keep you hooked. Ripe and refreshing, and of course! Yellow. You can never go wrong with these carotenoids and powerful antioxidants-packed yellow veggies that will keep your skin glowing and protect your body against cholesterol oxidation.
2. Yellow Squash
Buttery and smooth, yellow squash is not only super-delicious but is also a power-packed source of vitamin A, vitamin B 6, folate, and many other micronutrients that you can only get from natural produce. If you haven't tried this yellow vegetable as yet, either bake it or sauteè it to get all the health benefits it offers.
3. Yellow Corn
A cob with numerous tiny kernels, tightly packed in uniform rows. We all know yellow corn too well.
It has been a staple food for many worldwide and has been used in pasta and salads in other regions for centuries. However, when yellow corn is consumed, this beta carotene-rich, fresh produce makes vitamin A in our bodies that help maintain our eyesight. So, if you haven't thought of including corn in your diet, do it now!
4. Golden Beets
Earthy and aromatic beets exist in many varieties. One of them is the golden beet which is sweeter and less earthy than the regular red beet. Just like the common beet, you can consume golden beet either raw or cook/bake it with the spices of your choice.
The vegetable is loaded with vitamin A, B6 folate, and minerals like potassium, sodium, and iron. The best part about this yellow food is that it has a low caloric value which makes it a perfect choice for people who are trying to lose weight.
5. Yukon Gold Potatoes
Move over the russet potatoes. There is a new potato king in town — the yukon gold potatoes. They are a distinct type of potato with smooth golden-yellow skin without eyes. The species is not a naturally occurring one but is actually a crossbreed born in the Yukon region of Canada.
These yellow potatoes are a patented breed that started to grow after numerous attempts of breeding the seed. Just like your regular potatoes, you can eat these potatoes in a myriad of ways — cooked, grilled, boiled, fried, or mashed. The caloric profile has a major portion of carbohydrates. Yet, they are rich in iron and vitamin C. There are literally no fats or cholesterol in these potatoes, so you can add them as a healthy eating option in your yellow diet regime.
6. Yellow Beans
Mildly sweet, rich in taste with a crunchy texture, these beautiful yellow-hued beans are a variant of green beans that exist without chlorophyll. Around 6.2 oz of these wax beans contains 255 calories, of which only 4% are sugars. While these beans are almost devoid of vitamins, they are an excellent source of iron, calcium, and magnesium.
You can add these yellow beans to your diet either in salads or other cooked forms.
7. Golden Zucchini
Golden Zucchini, just like yellow squash, is an excellent yellow food choice. With every 100g of this succulent vegetable, you only consume 17 calories. Apart from the low caloric value, this deep-yellow skinned vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and K.
In fact, by consuming only 100 g of yellow zucchini, your daily vitamin A requirement is met by a whopping 30%.
Incredibly tasty, this vegetable can be consumed blanched, grilled, or cooked in any other form, retaining its skin's deep yellow color.
8. Pineapple
Rich in vitamin C, pineapple is a tropical fruit that grows in the Philippines, China, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Thailand. All these countries grow commercially and export it. The main consumption of this sweet, watery fruit is in drinks and desserts worldwide.
However, you can find it in pizzas and meat dishes as well, adding flavor to the dish.
The fruit is 87% water, and apart from vitamin C, it is also packed with manganese which is also present in the next yellow food we will discuss.
9. Banana
Pulpy and sweet, these crescent-shaped tropical fruits can meet 13% of your daily manganese requirement. That's one banana; eat more to get more manganese. It will help you maintain your skin health, and the potassium from this sweet fruit regulates blood pressure, maintaining your heart health.
10. Star Fruit
As the name suggests; when horizontally cut, these edgy-yellow fruits look like stars. Ripe star fruits are sweet with a bit of tanginess. These delicious fruits have so much vitamin C that your recommended dietary intake of vitamin C (RDI) will be met if you eat merely two of them daily.
You can have it sliced or use it in a fruit salad or a dessert. Either way, it tastes delicious and makes a perfect yellow food choice.
11. Rutabaga
Rutabaga, also called Swedish turnip, is a root vegetable — a cross between turnip and cabbage. The taste of the vegetable is somewhat between a potato and turnip, with a buttery, smooth texture. They can have a strong smell when uncooked but taste milder than a turnip when cooked.
The vegetable has yellow skin, which is why it made it to this list. Not to mention the health benefits that will make you root for this root vegetable. You can have low-calorie yellow food as a part of your diet by adding Rutabaga, which is also loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants. If you're on a diet and trying to watch what you eat, you must consider this super yellow food.
12. Asian Pears
Asian pears are also called Korean, Japanese, Chinese, or Taiwanese pear, depending on the location they are grown in. You can have these sweet, yellow grainy fruits to increase your fiber intake in a day. Add them to your fruit salads, or bake them to make their chips; either way, they are a delicious treat.
13. Jackfruit
Native to India, jackfruits are gaining steady popularity worldwide. Ripened jackfruits are yellow from the inside and have a unique sweet flavor. These giant fruits are rich in vitamin A and C. Apart from the vitamins, they are a good source of magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.
While you may not like how they smell, the fruit is amazing for helping you fight against diseases and cell damage.
14. Lemon
Yellow, fragrant and tangy, that's the perfect description of a lemon. You can juice this round fruit to get your daily vitamin C boost or use the rind to brighten your skin. Have a glass of lemonade to get your energy back, or add some lemon zest to the next cake you're going to bake — you can literally use lemons in a ton of ways. One of our favorite citrus fruits!
15. Mango
Pulpy, sweet, and yellow mangoes are the favorite fruit of many around the globe. Use them in desserts or eat them on their own; they stay sweet and delicious. Not only delicious, but this super yellow fruit is also rich in protective antioxidants that prevent cell damage by free radicals.
16. Mirabelle Plum
Mirabelle plum or cherry plum is a small dark yellow colored fruit with sugary flesh. These small fruits are flavor-intense and widely used in jam production. In addition to the flavor, they are a great source of vitamin C and A and help regulate blood pressure and heart health. Its juice is often fermented to make wine.
17. Passion Fruit
Commonly present in deep purple color, passion fruit has a yellow variant as well. You can have the sweet, seedy fruit and keep supplying your body with vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin C will help you maintain your skin while Vitamin A is incredible for your eyes.
Besides these, you get loads of fiber with passion fruit which helps maintain your bowel health.
18. Peter's Honey Fig
As the name suggests, this specific species of figs taste like honey. You will experience the grainy figgy taste of regular figs, but sweeter and, of course, yellow. These sweet treats are packed with antioxidants that help your cells to maintain themselves. Moreover, they do extremely well for bowel health.
19. Egg Fruit
Grown mostly in the Mexican region, egg fruit is a yellow, semi-spherical fruit. The fruit gains the name due to the texture of its flesh, resembling the texture of hard-boiled eggs. Don't worry, though — it neither looks nor tastes like an egg.
The fruit smells like pumpkin and tastes smooth and sweet. The fruit is loaded with beta carotene that converts to vitamin A and boosts your overall immune system.
20. Yellow Rice
Yellow rice is not naturally occurring. Instead, they refer to the yellow-colored rice dishes cooked with white rice. These rice are cooked with saffron or turmeric, which impart their color to the rice.
Whether it's Nasi Kuning of Indonesia, Kaha Buth of Sri Lanka, Biryani from the Indian region, or Purevian Arroz Amarillo, almost every region of the world has a yellow rice dish in it. It's a great side dish for curry and many other dishes.
These yellow rice dishes are packed with complex carbohydrates, and they are an excellent source of daily fiber intake.
21. Saffron
Did you know that saffron is currently the most expensive and exclusive spice in the world today? In fact, only one pound of some species costs up to $1500.
The strands of the spice impart a beautiful yellow hue to the foods it is added to. Saffron's yellow color comes from the naturally occurring carotenoid in its flower.
The peculiar fragrance of saffron comes from the phytochemicals safranal and picrocrocin. People have been using the spice for ages due to its benefits such as immune boost, libido-enhancing abilities, and mood-stabilizing effects.
22. Olive Oil
Incredible for your hair, skin and body, olive oil is one of the many edible oil options we have. Deep yellow in color, olive oil is mainly used raw in dressings, dips, and sauces.
Although due to its health benefits, people may want to use it for cooking, it is not appropriate for high-heat cooking due to its lower smoke point.
One of the main health benefits of olive oil is its anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, it helps reduce the bad cholesterol in the human body.
23. Mustard
A condiment with a bright yellow appearance and a tart flavor; yellow mustard is widely used in dressings, burgers, sandwiches, hotdogs, etc., to enhance the flavor.
You may underestimate the health benefits of these small seeds. Still, they can do wonders for heart health and prevention against diseases. The seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which help keep your skin supple and glowy.
24. Butter
Yellow and oh-so-smooth! Butter is a must-have item on this list. Since it's easily available and has extensive use, some people may take it for granted. People are divided on the health benefits of butter, but recent studies show that butter is rich in conjugated linoleic acid — an omega-6 fatty acid that prevents cancer and is also used as a fat loss supplement.
25. Cheese
Whether it's sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, or sauces, nothing is complete without this dairy goodness. Depending on the use of dye, cheese can be off-white or yellow. In fact, the yellow cheese you see in your supermarket's cheese aisle is usually dyed using a pigment called annatto.
Colored or not, cheese remains a dairy favorite of many people worldwide. Apart from the taste, this dairy product is packed with fat, protein, and micronutrients like calcium and phosphorus.
For all the cheese fans, here's an interesting fact. Cheese was discovered by accident. Yes, it's true. An Arab merchant more than 7000 years ago discovered cheese while carrying milk in sacks that were made of the stomachs of certain animals. And as the heat activated rennin — an enzyme in stomach lining — the bacteria curdled the milk.
26. Egg Yolk
Containing most of the egg’s good stuff, egg yolks are the nutrient-dense yellow part of the eggs. Rich in cholesterol and protein, egg yolks have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal health of humans. Besides that, egg yolks have specifically preventive compounds for eye diseases such as cataracts.
27. Cornflakes
Widely eaten as a breakfast cereal, corn flakes are one of the tastiest yellow food options you have. You can have them soaked in milk or just mix them with your fruits and nuts in the morning.
Although the added sugars that go into processing the corn kernels to make cornflakes are not healthy, eating in moderation can keep you full for hours.
28. French Fries
Crisp outside, soft inside. Delicious and yellow.
Yes! That's right. We are talking about French fries. While it may not be as nutritious as some of the other yellow foods on our list, you can still indulge in this yellow treat once in a while to keep your cravings aside. Don't forget to eat in moderation, though.
29. Honey
Sweet, syrupy honey is one of the most precious yellow foods on the list. You can use it with virtually anything — You can have it with your pancakes or spread it on bread slices. No matter how you take it, it tastes divine and boosts your immune system.
What's more, it also helps heal wounds and is super effective against sore throat and cough. And since we can all do with a little extra immunity these days(read:corona), it's time to amp up your honey intake.
30. Loquats
Round and dark yellow, Loquat is a fruit-bearing, ornamental tree belonging to the rose family of plants. These sweet fruits are loaded with Vitamin A. They can become a part of your yellow food choices in the form of jams and jellies. You can even have them in the form of tarts.
31. Yellow Tomato
Yellow tomatoes are a variant species of red tomatoes with almost the same nutritional profile as the red ones. Both are rich in beta carotene — a precursor for vitamin A. Apart from that, yellow tomatoes can help you fulfill the daily sodium requirement of your body.
32. Yellow Carrots
Yellow carrots are specifically grown for sweeter taste at maturity. Like their orange variant, these carrots are also rich in beta carotene and help with vitamin A production in your body. Vitamin A is incredible for people with eye diseases such as cataracts and vision loss. So if you want to keep that beautiful sight of yours, load up on yellow carrots.
33. Durian
Durian is a fruit you can typically find in Thailand and Malaysia. This spiky fruit's smell is usually described as rotten meat. Durian can be easily classified as the most debated fruit; people love it or absolutely hate it due to its smell.
But love it or not, there's no denying that durian is one of the sweetest and most nutritious fruits on the planet. The fruit looks similar to jackfruit and is widely used in Indonesian sweets. In fact, 100 gm of Durian has 0.316 mg of thiamine which equals 24% of vitamin B1's RDI — an essential micronutrient that catalyzes carbohydrates in our bodies.
34. Yellow Watermelon
Yellow watermelon is a variant of your regular red watermelon that looks exactly the same outside. However, there's a difference in taste in both varieties. The yellow watermelon is sweeter than the red, almost sweet like honey.
On the nutrition part, yellow watermelon is jam-packed with vitamin A and vitamin C. What's more, the carotene present in the fruit prevents several eye diseases.
35. Canary Melon
Canary melon is a type of melon grown in Japan, Korea, Algeria, and Morocco. The taste is similar to honeydew melon but a bit tangy. The skin of this fruit is yellow; hence it is part of this yellow food list.
Apart from the color, this fruit is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C, which does wonders for helping with your GI tract and skin health.
36. Golden Yellow Raisins
Looking for a non-dairy alternative to fulfill your daily calcium intake? Go for the delicious golden yellow raisins which are an excellent source of calcium and potassium.
Just like your regular brown raisins, these golden yellow ones are produced from the same grapes. And the color difference basically comes from the drying method. While the brown raisins are sun-dried, yellow raisins are dried in dehydrators at controlled temperatures.
The best thing about these tiny sweet treats are that they are loaded with flavonoids — rich in antioxidant activity which helps your body ward off everyday toxins.
Did we miss any yellow foods? Let us know in the comments. Don't forget to check out this list of foods that are blue, foods that are brown, and white foods.
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