Fruits and Vegetables

        Fruits, as well as vegetables, have been important in man's diet since the beginning of civilization. What is a fruit? Generally speaking, a fruit is that part of a plant that bears seeds. There are three kinds of fruits: (1) fleshy fruits, which have their seeds in the pulp (apples, oranges, cucumbers); (2) stone fruits, which contain pits or stones (plums, cherries, peaches); and (3) dry fruits (beans, nuts).

       Fruits are found growing all over the world. All fruits, however, are not used in the same way. To  the people of the tropics, the banana, fig, coconut, date, and breadfruit are staple articles of food. These fruits are nourishing because they contain much protein. They are used as substitutes for meat and other protein foods.

Produce market in Spain.

       The apple is the most popular of fruits and has been cultivated from prehistoric times. No other fruit is found growing over as great an area as the apple. The United States is the greatest apple-producing country of the world, with the state of Washington leading all other states in output. The apple tree is hardy. It is able to grow in many different climates and in many kinds of soil. Its fruit has good keeping qualities.

       Second to the apple in popularity is the orange, with its relatives, the lemon, lime, and grapefruit. These citrus fruits are tropical plants; yet the United States leads the world in citrus fruit production. All citrus fruits have thick oily rinds that are bright orange or yellow in color. Citrus fruits are extremely sensitive to frost. Vitamin C, found in all citrus fruits, is valuable in preventing and treating colds.

       What is a vegetable? Frequently we use the word vegetable‚ in place of the word plant‚ for example, vegetable kingdom. Vegetables may be any part of the plant: the leaf stalk (rhubarb, celery), the leaves (spinach, lettuce, cabbage), or the root (carrots, beets, radishes). The root vegetables are especially high in energy value.

       The onion is one of the most widely used of vegetables. Although it neither looks nor smells like the Easter lily, the onion is closely related to it. The people of ancient China and India enjoyed the onion's pungent taste just as we do today and served onions both raw and cooked. Closely related to the onion and used for the same purpose are garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives.

       Some plant parts, such as peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers, okra, squashes, and avocados, are popularly known as vegetables although they are really true fruits. These fruit vegetables are used in salad dishes and main-course dishes. Probably the most popular of these foods is the tomato. Once known as the love apple, the tomato was long considered poisonous and was grown only for ornamental purposes. When people learned that the tomato was not poisonous it became very popular. Today, tomatoes are used in a greater variety of ways than any other vegetable.

       Vegetables are particularly nutritious because of their high vitamin and mineral content. Vitamins and minerals are substances found in many foods. They are necessary for the normal functioning of the body as well as for the development of sound teeth, bones, and other structures. The greater part of many vegetables is made up of water and much smaller amounts of sugar and starch. Because vegetables contain so much water they are sensitive to weather changes and tend to spoil easily.

       Fruits and green vegetables should have a place in every meal. Not only are these foods valuable in furnishing one's body with vitamins and minerals but they also give back much of the water lost through perspiration. 

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Fruits vs Veggies by 2 Minute Classroom.