The Heart of the DASH and Mediterranean Diets: Fruit and Vegetables

Some of the best fruit and vegetables are now in season. Here are some tips to help you make the best choices.

The deepest colors are the healthiest. Paler shades are typically lower in nutrient density. Amazing how nature provides color coding for us! Look for:

Strawberries and blueberries

These are rich in dark red and purple anthocyanins, natural blood-pressure-lowering compounds. Three servings per week have been shown to make a huge dent in heart attack risk.

Dark greens

These are loaded with folate and lutein. Best choices are spinach and kale. For lettuce, go for the dark green or red loose leaf varieties. Sorry iceberg!

Organic or conventional?

For all fruits and vegetables, the optimal strategy to minimize pesticide exposure is to go organic. If a complete organic makeover is not in the budget, consider choosing organics selectively, for only the most pesticide-heavy produce.

To help guide the most cost-effective organic fruit and vegetable purchases, the Environmental Working Group provides helpful lists of the “Dirty Dozen (most pesticide-laden) and “Clean Fifteen” (least contaminated).  Among the Dirty Dozen are some of the healthiest foods—the idea is definitely not to stop eating them but to encourage organic versions if at all possible.

View the “Dirty Dozen”

View the “Clean Fifteen”