Color Your Diet

*  Let your cup runneth over with fruits and veggies to protect yourself from chronic diseases, such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

*  Choose fruits and veggies over higher-calorie snacks and desserts to help you lose weight and keep it off.

*  Yes, canned, frozen, and dried fruits and veggies count toward your goal. Look for ones without added sugar, syrups, salt, butter, or cream sauces.

*  Juice vs. fruit: 100% juices are okay, but they lack fiber and are less filling than fruit. If you have a choice, grab an apple.

*  To get the most nutritional benefit, buy only what you can eat within a few days.

*  Protect your eyes and skin with sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, red peppers, and cantaloupe.

*  Reach for beet greens, white potatoes, cooked greens, and carrot juice to help maintain healthy blood pressure.

*  Eat fruits and veggies rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwi, green peppers, and cauliflower, to help heal cuts and keep gums and teeth healthy.

*  If you’re pregnant, foods rich in folate, such as cantaloupe, cooked spinach, and asparagus may reduce your risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect.

*  Spice up regular meals with fruits and veggies. Add blueberries to pancakes, red peppers to soups, and chopped tomatoes to a favorite macaroni dish.

*  Lettuce not forget the dark leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, and broccoli, that are high in vitamins and minerals and crammed full of fiber to strengthen the immune system, improve liver function, and improve circulation.

*  Add berries and/or banana slices to nonfat yogurt for a refreshing yogurt smoothie.