Feeling blue? You’re not alone. Major depression has been cited as the fourth most disabling condition in the world and the second most disabling in the west.

But by exploring other colors in the spectrum, you may be able to ward off the blues before they become crippling.

According to research by the University College London, people who eat a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables can reduce their risk for developing depression. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, focused on the diets of 3,500 middle-aged civil servants at a five-year interval.

After factoring out gender, age, education, activity levels, smoking habits, and chronic diseases, the study found that those who ate a diet high in processed foods had a 58 percent greater risk of developing depression than those who ate few processed foods. Processed foods include refined grains, high-fat dairy products, sweetened desserts, processed meats, and fried foods.

By contrast, those who ate more whole foods—fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains—had a 26 percent lower risk of developing future depression issues than those who ate fewer whole foods.

The results aren’t surprising, says Margaret Edwards, head of strategy for Britain’s mental health charity SANE. “Physical and mental health are closely related,” she told the BBC. “[W]e hope there will be further research which may help us to understand more fully the relationship between diet and mental health.”

In the meantime, consider trying to chase away the blues by stocking up on some green leafy veggies, yellow bananas, and red apples.