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Taste the rainbow with Dr. David Heber’s, “What Color is Your Diet?”

It’s a fun and informative read that provides an easier way to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables essential to your diet. By understanding Heber’s color guide, you’ll learn the seven color categories that will make you stop counting servings.

Red/Purple Group

Anthocyanins, found in red and purple foods, are antioxidants said to help prevent blood clots and slow down the aging of body cells.

Think: beets, eggplants, purple grapes, red wine, grape juice, prunes, cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or red apples

Red Group

Lycopene, a strong content in red foods, helps the body clear any radicals that damage genes.

Recommended: For 50 percent of the recommended lycopene, drink one glass of tomato juice.

Think: Tomatoes, can of V8 juice, pink grapefruit, or watermelon

Yellow/Green Group

Yellow and green foods contain carotenoids lutein, an element that focuses on the back of your eye, and zeaxanthin, a substance said to reduce the chance of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Think: spinach greens, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, yellow corn, green peas, avocado, or honeydew melon

Orange Group

Orange foods contain alpha carotene, which helps protect the skin against cancer, and beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A and great for night vision.

Think: carrots, mangos, apricots, cantaloupes, pumpkin, acorn squash, winter squash, or sweet potatoes

Orange/Yellow Group

Beta cryptothanxin, which helps the body’s cells communicate, is stored in orange and yellow foods. Eat an orange for 170 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C.

Think: pineapple, orange juice, oranges, tangerines, peaches, papayas, or nectarines

Green Group

Greens contain sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles, which all help defend the body against cancer by preventing carcinogens.

Think: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage also known asbok choi, or kale

White/Green Group

White and green foods contain properties good for preventing brain tumors.

Think: leeks, scallions, garlic, onions, celery, pears, white wine, endive, or chives

Most fruits and vegetables are low-fat and contain fiber and essential nutrients, but each have different substances with unique beneficial bodily effects. Become knowledgeable on different colored foods that provide thousands of beneficial nutrients and increase your produce intake.

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What Color Is Your Diet