How to Pick Fruits & Vegetables
The Food Pyramid recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Not only are they a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber but they are also loaded with phytochemicals---chemicals that are found mainly in plant foods. Scientists have identified hundreds of antioxidant-like phytochemicals in produce that fight cancer, prevent heart disease and delay aging. For these reasons it is beneficial to understand how to pick tasty, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
Instructions
-
-
1
Avoid mushy or soggy vegetables. Vegetables should always be firm to the touch; a lack of firmness is a sign of decay.
-
2
Choose semi-firm fruits. Unlike vegetables, most fruits should be eaten when they are no longer firm since that is when they become ripe. A few exceptions to this rule are apples, melons and pears; however, do not choose mushy or soggy fruits since mushiness and sogginess are usually signs of over-ripening.
-
-
3
Look for signs of maturity. For melons, such as watermelons, turn them over and look for a soil spot. A white or greenish soil spot means that is has not ripened while a yellowish soil spot means that it is ripe. For other fruits, such as apples and pears, the deepness of the fruit's color or the fragrance of the fruit indicates maturity.
-
4
Choose brightly-colored fruits and vegetables. The brighter the colors are, the more phytochemicals they contain.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Do your grocery shopping early in the day as most stores load produce in the morning. Hence, when you go early, you get the better selection of fruits and vegetables.
