There are five color categories. The categories are Blue/Purple, Yellow/Orange, Red, White and Green.

Among the summer’s most colorful fruits and vegetables are fresh peaches, plums and nectarines.  Colorful fruits and vegetables, like peaches, plums and nectarines, provide the body with a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals necessary to stay healthy.

Different colors of fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients and health benefits to the body.

Many plum varieties fall in the Blue/Purple color category, along with blueberries, eggplant and blackberries. The produce in this category contains varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, which may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. Produce in the Yellow/Orange group -- like peaches and nectarines, as well as pineapples, mangoes and oranges -- contain various amounts of antioxidants including vitamin C, carotenoids and bioflavinoids, now being studied for their health benefits.

Another color group, Red -- which includes the reds found in the bright skins of peaches, nectarines and many plums, along with cherries, strawberries and watermelon -- provides phytochemicals including lycopene and anthocyanins.

The White color group, which includes Summerwhite, or white fleshed, peaches and nectarines, mushrooms, onions and bananas, feature another group of phytochemicals called allicin.

In the Green color group are some of the more rare green-skinned plum varieties, but more notably avocados, honeydew melon and cucumbers, which provide various amounts of phytochemicals including lutein and indoles.

Eating for color optimizes the health benefits that can be derived by eating a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Peaches, plums and nectarines -- which can be found in all of the color groups -- are often hailed for their heart-healthy qualities and cancer-fighting attributes. Whether they’re eaten fresh or added to meals, these wonderful summer fruits deliver vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy body -- and are a juicy, delicious addition to summer menus.”

Summer, with the wide range of seasonal produce available, is an ideal time to take advantage of the health benefits of eating colorful fruits and vegetables. Including more fruits and vegetables in the diet is much easier than most people think. Adding sliced fruit to your cereal or to a salad, for example, or combining peaches, plums or nectarines and yogurt in a blender to make a smoothie are simple, quick things you can do to make sure you’re eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day