Hippocrates’ counsel, “Let food be your medicine,” offers much wisdom to us today. Besides providing a liberal supply of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, what other medicinal value do citrus fruits offer?

If you have or (are at risk for developing) diabetes, hypertension, cancer, or dementia, frequent consumption of berries will improve your health. Here’s why.

Could eating more red foods prolong your longevity? They could if you regularly consume plant foods of these brilliant colors. Red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and pomegranates contain the cancer-fighting phytochemical known as ellagic acid. Ellagic acid helps to protect the breast, esophagus, skin, colon, prostate, and pancreas from cancer. It safeguards the DNA and improves the liver’s ability to detoxify the cancer-producing agents known as carcinogens.

Because green foods are so nutrient-dense and phytochemical rich, they provide us with many benefits if we consume them frequently. Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are valuable for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.