How colorful is your diet? And…are your foods showing their “true colors” or the make-believe kind? Here’s why it matters.

It seems that Mother Nature knew how hard it would be to get all her “kids” to eat their fruits and vegetables. So she dressed them up in some cool colors. And when it comes to foods that are the highest in antioxidants, meaning better for you, look for the brightest hues. But those colors have to be the real deal, not fake ones.

Look for red, (apples, anyone?), green (more broccoli, please!), blue (as in blueberries!), yellow (try some sweet potatoes or yams), and orange (easy one, oranges!). And don’t think this is a complete list. There are a ton of different kinds of colorful foods to choose from.

Eating these kinds of foods are sure sign that your table is loaded with an abundance of fiber, essential nutrients and antioxidants that help prevent cancer and heart disease.

But there’s a big difference between the nutritional pot of gold to which this sort of rainbow leads and the ‘fool’s gold’ found at the end of our synthetic rainbow of brightly colored processed foods. For while artificial colors may make products appear appetizing and attractive, they represent just the kind of chemical additives we should stay away from.

So be sure to watch out for artificial colors on ingredient labels. Many will start out with: FD&C or Red Dye (with different numbers) and some are even called “Lakes.” With the fake kinds of colors, you don’t get any of the amazing benefits Mother Nature intended for us. Colorful foods are the healthiest kind… so if you want to eat healthy, show your true colors.