Yes, it’s okay to judge your vegetable by its cover. Fruit too. Here’s your color-coded guide to nutrition.

Turns out, you can tell a whole lot about your fruits and veggies by what’s on the outside. Credit the superpower chemicals that give skin its color. Each pigment has its own disease-fighting purpose.

Read on to learn what nutrients lie behind those beautiful colors. And keep in mind this rule of thumb when you’re in the produce aisle: Deeper color is better—darker equals more nutrients.

--Photos by Maren Caruso