9781422269893

Q: What’s the difference between a vitamin and a mineral? A: Vitamins are made by plants or animals. Vitamins (except for vitamin D) cannot be made by the body; they have to come from food. Minerals, on the other hand, do not come from plants or animals but rather from rocks, soil, and water. Some minerals are necessary for human life, but many aren’t.

a list of what are supposedly the top (e.g., 5, 10, 20) fruits. Unfortunately, a lot of people believe in the “superfood” myth that we’ll consider in the last chapter of this book. That myth promotes the idea that some fruits are especially nutritious or effective in boosting health and/or fighting certain diseases. The truth is that no particular fruit is automatically “better” or “healthier” than others. All fruits are healthy, and eating “all the colors of the rainbow” is the best approach. At the same time, people who need certain nutrients in their diet will want to make sure that the fruits they are eating have enough of the nutrients they need. For example, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, and pears have more fiber than many other fruits. Grapefruits, kiwis, oranges, and strawberries have more vitamin C than most other fruits, while cantaloupe melon has, by far, the most vitamin A. If you want to get more potassium in your diet, bananas, kiwis, and sweet cherries are your best options. Most fruits aren’t rich in iron, but watermelon does have quite a bit more than many other fruits.

12

Fruits and Vegetables for Health