Color of fruits and vegetables bare their essential nutrients

Do you want to know what specific nutrients you can get from a particular fruit or vegetable?
Then follow this advice from Dr. Evelyn Rodriguez of Institute of Chemistry at UP Los Baños.
Rodriguez in her study: “Food Phytochemicals Beneficial to Human Health: Local Food Plant Sources,” said the color of a certain fruit or vegetable determines the essential phytochemical that it contains.
Phytochemicals are defined as bioactive non-nutrient plant compounds in fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant foods that have been linked to reducing the risk of major chronic diseases.
“The red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, watermelon, and strawberries contain lycopene, which reduces the risk of cancer, and anthocyanin, which delays several diseases associated with ageing,” she said.
Yellow fruits and vegetables on the other hand contain beta carotene and flavonoids which reduce the risk of heart diseases, some cancers and slows down ageing. Squash, mango, oranges, cantaloupes and carrots are the popular sources.
The green fruits and veggies are primarily rich in lutein which helps maintain good vision. Plants rich in lutein are: pechay, kangkong, gabi leaves, mustard, spinach, alugbati, saluyot and malunggay.
Those who would like to prevent cancer, heart disease and ageing are advised to eat the blue or purple fruits and veggies such as eggplant, grapes, plums, duhat and blueberries. They are rich in anthocyanin and phenolics which can help prevent the said diseases.
The white, tan, and or brown fruits and veggies contain allyl sulfides and polyphenols which reduce the risk of heart disease. Banana, garlic, ginger onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and white corn are just some of its sources.
“There are many plants in our surroundings that are edible and at the same time contain nutrients needed for a healthy body. We just have to be aware of them,” she said. 
“One does not have to eat raw food always in order to receive the health benefits of foods that are rich in phytochemicals. Many phytochemicals are reasonably heat stable and most of them are not water soluble, meaning they are not appreciably lost during conventional cooking methods,” Rodriguez said.
“Exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco, reducing stress and maintaining a healthy body weight is essential to every person’s health. On top of these, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can become a part of an effective strategy to maintain good health and to reduce the risk of diseases,” she added.