Summer's bounty is ripening on the vine and available for the picking. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not only delicious; they're a boon to your diet. By consuming fresh produce, you are bound to reap healthful rewards.
Preventive Medicine

  Including more fresh produce in your diet, according to medical research, can help protect you against:

• Obesity. Obesity is epidemic in America. People who are overweight or obese increase their risk of contracting life-threatening diseases as well as developing joint problems. Fresh produce consumption can help you control your weight. It is nutrient-dense, giving you more vitamins per mouthful than other foods, usually low in calories and filled with fiber, which satisfies your hunger more readily than junk foods. 
• High blood pressure. According to Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the potassium, magnesium and calcium abundant in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products helps lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
• Stroke. If you eat at least five; preferably nine, servings of fruits and vegetables daily, according to a September 2000 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, you can lower your risk for stroke significantly. The report emphasizes eating dark-green, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.
• Heart disease and cancer. If your diet is based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, there is not a lot of room for fats. Fewer fats and more antioxidants (vitamins C, D and A found in fruits and vegetables) mean less risk of heart disease. The folic acid in fruits and vegetables is believed to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Fruits and vegetables also contain phytochemicals, which are associated with helping decrease the risk of some cancers and may help prevent or slow the growth of tumors.

  How do you know which fruits and vegetables to eat? Go for lots of color. The following is a color-coded guide to help you decide.

  Yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables. Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe and apricots contain beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A), which is an antioxidant believed to protect against heart disease and some cancers. Red peppers, watermelon, pink grapefruit and strawberries are rich in vitamin C, also an antioxidant.

  Dark green vegetables. Kale, broccoli, spinach and collards are excellent sources of antioxidants, folic acid, fiber and phytochemicals. In addition, they are good sources of other nutrients including calcium.

  Purple fruits. Blueberries, grapes and plums contain pigments that act as antioxidants.

  Red, ripe tomatoes. Tomatoes contain the phytochemical lycopene. If cooked and eaten with a bit of fat, lycopene may reduce the risk of prostate or other cancers.
On the Light Side

  Another benefit of filling up on summer's bounty is that fruits and vegetables are easy to digest. Foods that contain fats are harder to digest and when the temperatures are hot, could make you uncomfortable. So, do your heart and body a favor. Indulge in something fresh and colorful for dinner tonight.