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Learn how vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, and more. Find tips, recipes, and answers to common questions about fruits and vegetables.
Jan 23, 2024 · Learn about 20 vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Find out how they can help prevent chronic diseases, improve digestion, and support your immune system.
- Ann Pietrangelo
- Henry Blodget
- Blueberries. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells from oxidative stress — a process in which too many free radicals accumulate in the body and damage cells.
- Bananas. Bananas are good sources of fiber and potassium. Fiber helps relieve constipation and can help manage weight. Potassium is a mineral required for muscles — like your heart — to contract.
- Avocados. Avocados are packed with healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids, which improve heart health. It's important to consume healthy fats because, "some vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K, are fat-soluble meaning that our bodies need fats in order to absorb and utilize them," says Christensen.
- Tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in a phytochemical called lycopene, which has strong antioxidant properties, possibly protecting against cancer and disease risk.
- Overview
- Fruits Often Mistaken for Vegetables
- Vegetables With a Sweeter Flavor
- How Do Fruits and Vegetables Compare Nutritionally?
- Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
- The Bottom Line
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Most people know that fruits and vegetables are good for you, but in terms of structure, taste, and nutrition, there are many distinctions between them.
Fruits and vegetables are classified from both a botanical and culinary standpoint.
Botanically, fruits and vegetables are classified depending on which part of the plant they come from.
A fruit develops from the flower of a plant, while the other parts of the plant are categorized as vegetables.
Fruits contain seeds, while vegetables can consist of roots, stems and leaves.
From a culinary perspective, fruits and vegetables are classified based on taste. Fruits generally have a sweet or tart flavor and can be used in desserts, snacks or juices.
You probably have a pretty good concept of which foods are considered fruits and which are considered vegetables, at least in culinary terms.
However, there are several plants that are technically fruits, though they’re often classified as vegetables because of their taste.
Tomatoes are the most well-known and controversial example of this.
In 1893, the US Supreme Court actually ruled that tomatoes should be classified as vegetables rather than fruits under US customs regulations (1).
Botanically speaking, tomatoes fit the definition of a fruit. However, they’re still commonly referred to as vegetables because of their flavor profile.
Some other common examples of fruits that are mistaken for vegetables include:
Though there are many fruits that are mistaken for vegetables, there are very few vegetables that are considered fruits, if any.
However, some vegetable varieties have a naturally sweeter flavor than most other vegetables and are used similarly to fruits in desserts, pies and baked goods.
Sweet potato pie is a dessert that is a traditional part of Thanksgiving in the United States. Despite their sweet flavor, sweet potatoes are actually a type of root vegetable, not a fruit.
Similarly, candied yams are a baked dish containing yams, another type of edible tuber. Other vegetables with a naturally sweeter flavor include beets, carrots, rutabagas and turnips.
Summary:
Some vegetables have a sweet flavor and may be used in baked goods and desserts.
Fruits and vegetables have a lot of similarities in terms of nutrition.
Both are high in fiber as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds.
Fruits and vegetables are also naturally low in sodium and fat (2).
As you might expect given their sweet taste, fruits tend to have a higher amount of natural sugar and calories compared to most varieties of vegetables.
One cup of apples, for example, contains 65 calories and 13 grams of sugar, while one cup of broccoli has just 31 calories and 2 grams of sugar (3, 4).
Compared to vegetables, some types of fruits may also contain more fiber per gram. The fiber content per 100 grams for fruit ranges from 2–15 grams, while leafy vegetables supply 1.2–4 grams of fiber for the same weight (2).
There is a good amount of research documenting the many benefits of fruit and vegetable intake on health.
Several studies have found that eating more fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease (12, 13, 14).
One study even found that eating more than three servings per day slashed the risk of heart disease by 70% (15).
Because fruits and vegetables are low in calories but high in fiber, they could even help keep your weight under control.
One study followed 133,000 people over a 24-year span. It showed that when people increased their intake of fruits and non-starchy vegetables, their weight tended to decrease (16).
Increasing your fiber intake through fruits and vegetables may even reduce your risk of cancer. Multiple studies have found that higher fruit and vegetable consumption is linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer (17, 18).
Botanically, there is a distinct difference between fruits and vegetables.
However, they both come with an impressive set of nutrients and health benefits, from decreasing your risk of chronic disease to slimming your waistline.
Current guidelines recommend getting at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, with 3 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit (20).
In the end, the classification of fruits and vegetables isn’t as important as eating a variety of both to take advantage of the diverse nutrients they provide.
Learn how fruits and vegetables are classified based on their structure, taste and nutrition, and which ones are often mistaken for the other. Find out how fruits and vegetables compare in terms of sugar, calories, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and how they benefit your health.
Sep 1, 2021 · A study from Harvard suggests that five servings per day of fruits and vegetables offers the strongest health benefits, such as lowering the risk of death from various causes. Learn how to plan your meals with a variety of fruits and vegetables and see the serving sizes in a table.
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Dec 20, 2023 · Learn about the health benefits and nutrition of 12 different fruits, such as lemons, strawberries, oranges, and grapefruits. Find out how to incorporate these fruits into your diet and what vitamins and minerals they provide.
Aug 9, 2021 · Learn the differences between fruits and vegetables based on their botanical structure and how they affect health. Find out which produce is affordable, nutritious, and accessible for everyone.
