Fruit cucumbers, fruit corn, fruit peppers...what is so unique about fruit vegetables?

Nowadays, it is popular to add the word "fruit" to many vegetables, such as "fruit corn", "fruit carrot" and "fruit cucumber". It seems that as long as they are covered with the coat of "fruit", their value will rise rapidly. So, the question is: are these "fruit-shaped vegetables" a new trick of merchants, or are they really unique?

Part.01

Fruit-type vegetables are not just a name

Are fruit-like vegetables just a marketing gimmick? NO! NO! NO! The history of fruit-like vegetables may be longer than you think.

As early as the early 1950s, China had already begun breeding research on fruit-shaped corn . In the late 1980s, Professor Zhu Qijie of the cucumber breeding research group of Beijing Agricultural University (now the predecessor of China Agricultural University) successfully bred a new variety of cucumbers that were thornless and more suitable for fresh consumption - "fruit-shaped cucumbers". This type of cucumber is "delicious, beautiful, and easy to wash."

The category revolution of "fruit-type vegetables" thus began.

With the continuous advancement of agricultural technology, more new, high-quality fruits and vegetables that are especially suitable for fresh consumption have appeared on the market, such as fruit peppers, fruit celery, fruit cabbage, etc. Compared with vegetable vegetables, fruit vegetables are sweeter, crisper, and have a fresher flavor.

For example, the "Yutian Weiwei" fruit pepper cultivated by Henan Agricultural University has a crispy and sweet taste, bright color, and its vitamin C content is even twice that of the "King of Vitamin C" kiwi fruit!

There is also the more common fruit corn in life, which is also called "sweet corn" by many people. It has a thin skin, is tender, refreshing and juicy. Its water content is about 75%, which is comparable to apples; its carbohydrate and starch content is only 18%, which is significantly lower than staple foods such as rice and wheat. It is a low-calorie food.

Part.02

Beware of fake "fruit-like vegetables"

Compared with edible vegetables, fruit-type vegetables not only taste better, but also have high content of some nutrients, which undoubtedly meets people's current psychological needs for health.

For example, "Zhongyu 1877" developed by the carrot hybrid breeding team of the Vegetable and Flower Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences is a fruit carrot. The freshly squeezed carrot juice of this variety not only tastes sweet, but also has strong antioxidant properties and can remain unchanged for a long time.

In the minds of many consumers, fruit-type vegetables are equivalent to "high-end" and "healthy", so they have always been "hot cakes" in the market. However, some "fakes" have also appeared in the market. What? Can "fruit-type vegetables" be fake?

In fact, in order to earn more profits, some businesses have come up with the idea of ​​"fruit-type vegetables" and deceived consumers through false propaganda, artificial processing, and selling inferior products as good ones. For example, the so-called "fruit broccoli" is just a marketing coat of "mini" and "fresh and sweet", and the price is doubled. In fact, it is just a stunted broccoli.

Remember these points to help you avoid the "fruit-type vegetable" trap!

First of all, give priority to purchasing vegetables through regular channels . Supermarkets and brand-owned stores are much more reliable than roadside stalls.

Secondly, real fruit-type vegetables usually have detailed variety names and origin labels , such as "Jingyan Yutian 156" fruit cucumber. If the product label information is incomplete, you need to be cautious when purchasing.

Finally, for scarce varieties and imported products, be sure to compare prices from multiple sources and don’t be easily fooled by high prices.

Part.03

Three golden rules for choosing vegetables every day

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)" recommends that you consume 300g to 500g of fresh vegetables every day. So, what should we pay attention to when choosing vegetables? Here are three golden rules to help you easily get it done.

01

“Freshness is king”

Freshness is the primary criterion for selecting vegetables. Fresh vegetables are rich in water, taste good, and have richer nutrients. On this basis, seasonal vegetables can be given priority. In addition, vegetables are best eaten on the same day they are bought. Although the refrigerator can keep vegetables fresh, long-term storage will still cause loss of nutrients in the vegetables.

02

“Various colors”

The color of vegetables actually holds a lot of secrets. Vegetables can be divided into dark vegetables and light vegetables according to the depth of their color.

Dark vegetables refer to vegetables with darker leaves or fruits, such as green, red, orange, and purple vegetables. Some lighter-colored vegetables, such as wild rice stem, cabbage, and lotus root, are light-colored vegetables.

Dark green vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, and broccoli, are rich in vitamins C, B1, B2, folic acid, and other vitamins. Purple vegetables, such as purple cabbage, purple onions, and perilla leaves, are rich in anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory and microvascular vitality effects. Although dark-colored vegetables have higher nutritional value in some nutrients, light-colored vegetables also have their own unique value.

03

“Rich variety”

There are many varieties of vegetables. For example, rapeseed, spinach, and green vegetables are leafy vegetables, rich in dietary fiber; pumpkin, eggplant, and tomato belong to the nightshade family, with high content of vitamin C and carotenoids; peas, lentils, and broad beans belong to fresh beans, rich in amino acids; shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, kelp, and laver belong to fungi and algae, rich in B vitamins and vitamin E, etc. Ensuring the intake of more than two kinds of vegetables every day can ensure more comprehensive nutrition.

Reasonable combination doubles your health!

From the laboratory to the dining table, fruit-type vegetables are rewriting people's dietary life. However, we should be wary of false propaganda when purchasing and choose truly fresh and high-quality vegetables.

END

References:

[1]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/O3R9rLJYG-WnM2uIS1kpoQ

[2]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/95_D0nT8yzGQXlU8YBRn5Q

[3]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xxpxvOfF4xZoIkffto0hgQ

[4]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3vtKm2Xcd_eU9F_3I7FDLQ

[5]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/708S6v3pg47Bf3hZfYzDrg

[6]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s__biz=MzAxODEwNzYzOA==&mid=2650262566&idx=1&sn=f0a58bd58a80372c0e894719 059f2922&chksm=02f2d02e9c32152ea87e8e91fb94ca7f978570f2d1b99aa7268dfb39c94216c943db7ee26e49&scene=27

[7]https://paper.yanews.cn/yarb/20241203/html/content_20241203007006.htm

Author: Tadpole Jun

Reviewer: Liu Ying, Li Peiyuan