When actually did fruit and vegetables get married? They aren’t.
Despite not being “married”, it seems that you never hear the word vegetables without the link to fruit: fruit ’n’ veg, fruit and vegetables, fruitnvegetables… Ro wanted to know why.
Questioning a familiar phrase
Ro questioned where the five-a-day message came from and what it meant in practice. She was especially curious about the difference between whole seasonal fruit, concentrated fruit sugars and vegetables rich in fibre and micronutrients.
She also noticed that fruit had become available all year round and wondered whether modern growing and eating habits had changed our relationship with it.
What about vitamins, minerals and fibre?
Ro’s point was not that colourful whole foods lack value. It was an invitation to look more closely. Green vegetables, herbs, cocoa, coffee and tea can all contribute different plant compounds, while vegetables and whole fruit can contribute fibre as part of a varied diet.
The fructose questions Ro was asking
- How does whole fruit differ from juice, smoothies and concentrated sweeteners?
- Can concentrated fructose affect hunger and liver health differently?
- What role do triglycerides and metabolic health play?
- How should individual needs shape the amount and form of fruit we choose?
Ro linked to Gary Fettke’s talk, “Is Fruit Good or Bad for You?” as one perspective that prompted her questions.
Make up your own mind—with curiosity
Ro’s invitation remains useful: ask questions, notice how food makes you feel, distinguish whole foods from concentrated products and keep learning from reliable guidance.
NOSH ROCKS — live your most amazing you.