Recognition of Fruit and Vegetables as Healthful: Vitamins and Phytonutrients

Abstract

Plants are the foundation for a significant part of human medicine and for many of the most widely used drugs designed to prevent, treat, and cure disease. Folkloric information concerning traditional remedies for disease has had inestimable value in establishing familial and cultural linkages. During the 20 th century, modern medical science in the U.S. and other developed countries ushered in a new era focused on synthetic medicines. Even though many of these compounds were based on natural compounds found in plants, the drive towards synthetic pharmaceuticals created a knowledge gap concerning the health functionality of plants, crops, and food. Paralleling this development, biochemists and nutritional scientists pioneered the discovery of vitamins during the early decades of the 20 th century. This research paved the way for dietary guidelines based on empirical data collected from animal feeding trials and set the stage for the current emphasis on phytonutrients. Three primary stages characterize the use of fruits and vegetable in human health. The first stage concerns the observation that many fruit and vegetable crops were originally domesticated for their medicinal properties. Making their way into the diet for this purpose, fruit and vegetable crops remained on the fringe from a culinary point of view. The second stage began when the role of vitamins became more widely understood, and fruit and vegetable plants were quickly recognized as a rich source of certain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. At this point, they became more than just an afterthought in the diet of most U.S. citizens. Daucus carota), broccoli (Brassica oleracea), and green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). This renaissance resulted in large increases in fresh fruit and vegetable consumption across the country, a trend that continues to this day. The third phase can be characterized by the recognition that fruit and vegetable crops contain compounds that have the potential to influence health beyond nutritional value. These so-called functional foods figure prominently in the dietary recommendations developed during the last decades of the 20 th century. In recent years, surveys suggest nearly two-thirds of grocery shoppers purchase food specifically to reduce the risk of, or manage a specific health condition. Evidence abounds that consumers, including Baby Boomers, choose foods for specific health benefits, such as the antioxidant potential of vegetables, suggesting high levels of nutritional literacy. Clinical and in vitro data have, to some degree, supported the claims that certain foods have the potential to deter disease, however much research remains to be conducted in order to definitively answer specific dietary-based questions about food and health. Cartoon icons such as Popeye made the case for the health functionality of leafy greens, while parents schooled their children on the virtues of carrots (

Cultivar choice provides options for local production of organic and conventionally produced tomatoes with higher quality and antioxidant content

“…Awareness for the important role fruits and vegetables have in a healthy diet is increasing,6, 7 as is interest in organic foods.…”

Total Quercetin Content in Onion: Survey of Cultivars Grown at Various Locations

“…Onion possesses phytochemicals with health benefi ts beyond nutrition, promoting interest in the relationship between food and well-being (Goldman, 2003). In onion, the preponderant fl avonols are glucose derivates of quercetin: quercetin-3,4´-O-diglucoside and quercetin 4´-O-glucoside (Leighton et al, 1992;Lombard et al, 2002;Price and Rhodes, 1997).…”

Healing, Health, and Horticulture: Introduction to the Workshop

“…As early as 1617, citrus was recommended for the British navy and by the end of the 18th century, limes and sauerkraut were shown to be antiscorbutic. In the 20th century, scientific research demonstrated the occurrence of various vitamins (a word derived from vital amines) or substances required in tiny amounts by various organisms, including humans (Desjardins, 2008;Finley, 2005;Goldman, 2003). Subsequently, fruits and vegetables were shown to be good sources of various vitamins.…”