Fruits. Vegetables

I think that too often fruits and vegetables are lumped together into one category.  Maybe because they have a lot in common.  They both grow in the ground, both are good for you, both have fiber and you can make juice out of both.  I wonder, why we don’t say fruits, vegetables and legumes?  Maybe it is the juice thing.

Fruits and vegetables should be divided into their own categories.  Both are beneficial for our bodies, but they are different.  All fruits and all vegetables are not the same. 

What’s the difference?

I am not talking about whether they have a pit or seeds or which part of the plant they come from.  I’m not focused on whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable.  I am going to call zucchini a vegetable even if the botanist says it is a fruit.  Fruits are generally sweeter or tarter than vegetables.  Most vegetables have a lower flavor range, although some of them can have a good bitter flavor.

Let’s separate fruits and vegetables into their own categories so we don’t eat mostly one or the other (usually mostly fruits) when we say to eat fruits and vegetables.  I think better to say “Eat fruits.  Eat vegetables.”

Even then, are all fruits the same?  You knew the answer would be no.  All fruits can be good for you depending on your goal.  Some high sugar fruits such as mangoes, grapes, figs, pineapples to name a few while loaded with vitamins may not be good choices if you are watching your blood sugar or trying to lose some fat.  They might be good choices if you need energy for exercise or hard activity.  Same goes with vegetables.  Some with higher amounts of sugar won’t surprise you - potatoes, peas, corn, squash.

I don’t want to suggest that you should not eat mangoes, grapes, figs, pineapples, potatoes, etc.  Eating a variety seems like a good idea and I am just thinking that they all have their place or quantity.

Are there any fruits or vegetables you can go crazy with?  I think you would have a stomach ache before you could overeat berries, avocado, mushrooms, leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts).

So, eat fruit.  Eat vegetables.