From ruby-red tomatoes and blue-green avocado to golden pineapple, mango and plantains, color is everywhere in the diverse cuisines of Latin America and the Caribbean. And those colors do more than make a plate beautiful. They can also represent different nutrients and naturally occurring plant compounds.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we're celebrating that colorful variety with a simple challenge: How many colors can you put on your plate?

Interestingly, researchers have asked a similar question.

What Does Science Say About Eating by Color?

A 2022 study published in Nutrition & Diabetes looked at fruit and vegetable consumption among more than 9,000 Hispanic adults in the United States. Participants represented diverse backgrounds and were part of the Hispanic Community Health Study.

Researchers divided the fruits and vegetables participants ate into five groups: green, white, yellow/orange, red/purple and uncategorized. They then examined whether eating more produce overall, or more from particular color groups, was associated with measures of cardiometabolic health and the development of type 2 diabetes.

After about six years of follow-up, researchers found some interesting associations. Eating more fruits and vegetables overall was associated with slightly lower BMI and insulin levels. Greater intake of red and purple produce was associated with higher HDL, sometimes called "good" cholesterol, while greater intake of white fruits and vegetables, including potatoes, was associated with lower triglycerides and lower blood sugar following a glucose tolerance test.

However, eating more fruits and vegetables, or more of a particular color, was not associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the study.

That's an important distinction. Because this was an observational study, it can't prove that eating a certain color of produce caused these differences. Instead, the findings add to a much bigger nutrition message: variety matters.

Why Color?

The colors we see in fruits and vegetables often come from naturally occurring plant compounds. Carotenoids contribute yellow, orange and red hues, while anthocyanins can create brilliant reds, blues and purples. Different fruits and vegetables also provide different combinations of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other compounds.

That's why you don't need to search for one "best" fruit or vegetable. A more practical strategy is to mix it up.

And Hispanic Heritage Month offers plenty of delicious inspiration.

Your DIY Color Challenge

Start with foods you already know and love, then see if you can add another color to the plate.

Red & Purple: Tomatoes, red peppers, purple cabbage, berries, grapes
Yellow & Orange: Mango, pineapple, papaya, oranges, yellow peppers
Green: Avocado, tomatillos, cilantro, leafy greens, kiwi
White: Jicama, onions, garlic, cauliflower, potatoes, plantains

Try adding mango or papaya to breakfast. Make a colorful salsa with pineapple, tomato, peppers and cilantro. Pair jicama with lime for a crunchy snack. Add avocado and cabbage to tacos or build a fruit salad with several colors instead of just one.

You can even turn it into a family challenge: Can you get three colors into one meal? What about five colors over the course of the day?

Celebrate Color, Culture and Variety

There isn't one "Hispanic diet." Hispanic and Latino communities represent many countries, cultures and food traditions, each with their own ingredients, preparations and stories.

That's something worth celebrating.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, take inspiration from that incredible variety. Explore a fruit you haven't tried before, prepare a familiar favorite in a new way or simply add another color to your plate.

Because when it comes to fruits and vegetables, a little more color can be a delicious place to start.

Published Sept 1, 2026