7 Colors that Should Be on Your Plate Every Day

In the last couple of decades, scientists have discovered more reasons (beyond vitamins and fiber) to pack your diet with fruits and vegetables:phytochemicals . All plants contain these compounds, which protect them from a variety of dangers-from harmful UV rays to predatory pests.

We take in phytochemicals when we eat fruits and vegetables and, as it turns out, they protect us too. Some act as antioxidants, mopping up unstable "free radical" molecules that can damage cells and lead to the development of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and other health issues. Others work by boosting the immune system.

Red
Red foods, such as tomatoes and watermelon, contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help protect against prostate and breast cancers.
Guava Pink grapefruit
Red peppers
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Orange
Alpha and beta carotene make foods like carrots and sweet potatoes so brilliantly orange. The body converts these compounds into the active form of vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes, bones and immune system healthy. These phytochemicals also operate as antioxidants, sweeping up disease-promoting free radicals.
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Mango
Oranges
Papaya
Pumpkin
Sweet potatoes
Tangerines
Winter squash

Yellow & Green, part 1 (leafy greens)
Many yellow and green vegetables are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, phytochemicals that accumulate in the eyes and help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people. Leafy greens are also rich in beta carotene.
Artichoke Corn
Lettuce
Summer squash
Wax beans
Arugula
Chard
Collards
Mustard greens
Turnip greens

Green, part 2 (cruciferous)
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, provide compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates, which may help prevent cancer by amping up the production of enzymes that clear toxins from the body.
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Green cabbage
Kale

Blue & Purple/Deep Red
Blue, purple and deep-red fruits and vegetables are full of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidants associated with keeping the heart healthy and the brain functioning optimally.
Blackberries
Blueberries
Eggplant
Plums
Cranberries
Grapes Radishes (red)
Raspberries Strawberries