Test Your Fruit 'n' Vegetable Rainbow IQ!

By Valerie Watson

We used to think a healthy diet was all about the "Big Three" food groups: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Today, we know there are a lot more factors involved—one of the most important being color. Making sure you get a rainbow's worth of colors in the fruits and vegetables you eat can make a world of difference in your health, vitality, and immune system. Match the colors of fruits and vegetables below with the selected beneficial nutrient or nutrients contained in that color group.

1. Red (tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit): Lycopene. To help protect against cancer, heart disease, and neurological diseases.
   
2. Orange/yellow (carrots, cantaloupe, peaches): Carotenoids. To help fight cancer, slow aging, and keep eyes healthy.
   
3. Green (peas, spinach, asparagus): Chlorophyll and/or lutein. To help prevent cancer and heart disease and keep bones, teeth, and the immune system strong.
   
4. Blue/purple (blueberries, eggplant, figs): Anthocyanins and flavonoids. To help fight cancer, memory loss, and strokes, and boost urinary tract and immune system health.
   
5. White (bananas, cauliflower, potatoes): Anthoxanthins and/or potassium. To help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of stomach cancer and heart disease.