Why your plate should resemble a box of crayons

"I recommend all my clients eat like a rainbow," says nutritionist Gerard Elms. "Eating a broad mix of colourful plant foods means you're getting the full spectrum of antioxidants." And research on the benefits of phytonutrients in fruit and veg of all shades continues to expand. Every colour of your 2&5 does a job - from fighting colds to keeping you fresh-faced. It's not so important whether the plants you scarf are frozen, canned or fresh - the main thing is you eat 'em. Here's why...

Orange prevents tumours

Apricots, oranges, pawpaw, pumpkins, carrots - all these orange fruits and vegies owe their glow to carotenoids: a group of naturally-occurring antioxidant compounds that tinge everything from ripe tomatoes to autumn leaves - even flamingos have these natural pigments to thank for their pretty pink colour. Efficient free-radical scavengers, carotenoids can help lower the risk of heart disease and improve immune system function and heart and vision health. They also counter tumour growth by restoring communication between cells, keeping them "talking" to each other, says a University of Hawaii study.

Serve it up
Roast chopped squash and pumpkin and sprinkle it with cinnamon and nutmeg for a whopping antioxidant hit. Munching on just three dried apricots gives you half the RDI of beta-carotene, says nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan Price.

Green wards off disease

Kids may spit them out, but green vegies are potent anti-cancer foods. Coloured by the natural plant pigment chlorophyll, greens such as broccoli, spinach and bok choy are packed with heart disease-fighting phytochemicals. They're also a good source of lutein and folate, which protect your eyes, skin and heart. A study by Liverpool University in the UK also found that a diet high in fibre-rich greens like cabbage, lettuce and sprouts can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 46 per cent. No wonder your parents were so keen to shovel them down your throat.

Serve it up
Think twice before burying your fresh produce in the crisper drawer graveyard. Instead, chop it up and place it on eye-level shelves of your fridge to make it more inviting and accessible.

Red fights infection

The chemical to thank for the vibrant colour is lycopene, a powerful cancer preventative antioxidant that also protects white blood cells - your first line of defence against infection. It's especially abundant in cooked tomato products - tomato paste contains 42.2mg compared with just 3mg in a raw tomato. So, load your trolley with sun-dried tomatoes, tomato soup, pasta sauce and tomato sauce. According to Elms, lycopene also shields your eyes against UV damage, and thwarts the formation of cholesterol plaque within your arteries.

Serve it up
Can't stand tomatoes? "Try guava juice, a quarter of a watermelon or juice three red grapefruits for a similar lycopene content," says Jill Fullerton-Smith, author of The Truth About Food.

Purple/blue keeps you slim

Gobble down eggplant, figs and prunes because their colour pigments, anthocyanins, sideswipe blood clots and inflammation, lowering blood pressure and raising good cholesterol levels. Think of blueberries and blackberries like mini vitamin pills - among other nutrients, they both contain vitamins A, C, E and K, folate, calcium, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. Plus, they're high in fibre and low in kilojoules. "So you can eat a lot and they'll help you lose weight," says Nussinow.

Serve it up
You don't have to take out a small mortgage to get your berry fix - keep frozen ones on hand to chuck into a smoothie for breakfast.
A glass of red wine also counts in your rainbow diet - it relaxes your blood vessels, reducing the amount of work your heart has to do, says a study by the University of Toronto.

White/yellow lowers blood pressure

Bad colour choices for bread, rice and pasta, but bananas, custard apples, onions, garlic and spuds are potently beneficial, thanks to anthoxanthins, compounds responsible for flower petals' yellow and ivory shades. Blessed with anti-inflammatory properties, the pigment lowers the risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. A 2009 study by Queen's University found that allicin, the stuff that gives garlic its distinctive whiff, could be a super-antioxidant, rivalling the likes of green tea for mopping up cell-damaging free radicals.

Serve it up
"Mushrooms contain Vitamin D, help lower cholesterol and taste great with garlic and ginger," says Nussinow.