From a nutritional point of view, fruits and vegetables are hard to beat. They are exceptional sources of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and folate—all essential nutrients for maintaining good health. They also contain thousands of phytochemicals (natural compounds) that protect against disease.

Include 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet. One serving is equal to: 1 medium-sized fruit, ¼ cup (50 mL) of dried fruit, ½ cup (125 mL) of cooked or raw vegetables, 1 cup (250 mL) of leafy vegetables, and ½ cup (125 mL) of 100% pure juice. Whenever possible, choose the whole fruit over juice, as it contains more fiber and fewer calories.

Add a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet every day. Depending on their color, fruits and vegetables have different nutrient and phytochemical profiles. To maximize their health benefits, eat red, blue, and purple fruits and vegetables (e.g., tomato, watermelon, berries, red grapes), orange and yellow (e.g., carrot, sweet potato, pepper, mango, peach), green (e.g., asparagus, broccoli, green beans, spinach), and white (e.g., cauliflower, mushrooms, onion, banana).