We're not suggesting you turn vegetarian, but simply up your intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. And, by doing this combined with other important diet strategies, you may lose weight naturally. Most plant foods are low-calorie, low-fat and very filling. And since they're fresh and whole, you won't be filling your body with processed ingredients.

It's important to consume a wide variety of colorful plant foods to reap the health benefits. That's because each contains different phytochemicals that work synergistically to combat disease. So the phytochemicals in the pink grapefruit you ate for breakfast, for instance, may fight disease more effectively when combined with the avocado in your salad at lunch.

Super Foods for Super Health
Plant foods are all-stars, because each contains unique phytochemicals that work together to fight disease. What's more, there are thousands of foods that have yet to be analyzed, so there's more good news to come.

Based on the latest research, the following foods contain phytochemicals that are proving to be terrific choices, says David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., director of the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Human Nutrition and author of What Color Is Your Diet? (HarperCollins, 2001). So eat more of these:

Broccoli, cabbage and kale
The isothiocynanates in these cruciferous vegetables stimulate the liver to break down pesticides and other carcinogens. In people susceptible to colon cancer, these phytochemicals seem to reduce risk.

Carrots, mangos and winter squash
The alpha and beta carotenes in these orange vegetables and fruits play a role in cancer prevention, particularly of the lung, esophagus and stomach.

Citrus fruits, red apples and yams
The large family of compounds known as flavonoids found in these fruits and vegetables (as well as red wine) show promise as cancer fighters.

Garlic and onions
The onion family (including leeks, chives and scallions) is rich in allyl sulfides, which can help lower high blood pressure and show promise in protecting against cancers of the stomach and the digestive tract.

Pink grapefruit, red bell peppers and tomatoes
The phytochemical lycopene is actually more available after cooking, which makes tomato paste and ketchup the best sources of it. Lycopene shows promise in fighting lung and prostate cancers.

Red grapes, blueberries and strawberries
The anthocyanins that give these fruits their distinctive colors may help ward off heart disease by preventing clot formation. Anthocyanins also appear to inhibit tumor growth.

Spinach, collard greens and avocado
Lutein, which appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke as well as guard against age-related macular degeneration (which leads to blindness), is also abundant in pumpkins.