Excuse me: Is it okay to eat cucumbers and tomatoes instead of fruits? Thanks.

Hello!!

1: First of all, let’s talk about the differences between fruits and vegetables:

In fact, there are essential differences between vegetables and fruits. In botany, vegetables generally refer to different parts of a plant; fruits refer to the plant organs containing seeds in a plant. Vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. They are the main source of nutrients for the human body to maintain life and growth. Although most fruits contain vitamins, the carbohydrates they contain are mostly composed of monosaccharides and disaccharides such as glucose, fructose and sucrose.

Because of this, fruits have a certain sweetness while most vegetables are bland. Because of this, vegetables contain much fewer calories than fruits. If you are considering losing weight, not eating vegetables and eating more fruits will have the opposite effect.

Fruits rarely contain vitamins, but the intake of a variety of fiber can help the body prevent constipation and digestive tract diseases, as well as prevent various cancers. In addition, eating a variety of vegetables with staple food can not only increase the secretion of digestive juices and promote appetite, but also greatly improve the absorption of nutrients.

Another

1. Vegetables contain a variety of nutrients, and their main nutritional characteristics are as follows: 1) Moisture - the moisture content of fresh vegetables is more than 90%, which is why vegetables are fresh and tender A sign of degree. 2) Vitamins - Green and orange vegetables contain more carotene, vitamin C, riboflavin and folic acid. 3) Inorganic salt-Vegetables are an important source of inorganic salt. Green vegetables are the most abundant. 4) Dietary fiber-contained in various vegetables, it can promote intestinal peristalsis, lower cholesterol and improve sugar metabolism.

2. The nutritional value of fruits is similar to that of vegetables, but the inorganic salts and vitamins they contain are not as good as vegetables. Their characteristics are: 1) All kinds of fresh fruits contain vitamin C. Because they are mostly eaten raw, they lose less. 2) The cellulose and pectin in fruits are natural laxatives. 3) Fruits have a fragrant fruity taste and bright colors can stimulate appetite. 4) Fruits contain more sodium, potassium, magnesium and other elements, forming alkaline foods.

Two: Can they be substituted for each other:

In daily life, many people think that as long as they eat enough vegetables every day (for example, the cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. you mentioned), The nutrients in fruits can meet the needs of the human body, or conversely, eating enough fruits can replace eating vegetables. In fact, these two cannot replace each other.

Generally speaking, most fruits contain Most of the carbohydrates in fruits are monosaccharides and disaccharides such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, so when we eat fruits, we always feel sweet. On the contrary, vegetables do not feel sweet. On the surface, monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides are all carbohydrates, and they have the same function on the human body, and there seems to be no difference. But from the perspective of human body's digestion and absorption and other specific physiological functions, it is different. For example, glucose, fructose and sucrose can be quickly and directly absorbed into the bloodstream after a person eats them without or with a little digestion (such as sucrose) in the small intestine. Unlike polysaccharide starch, which requires various digestive enzymes to be gradually digested and hydrolyzed in the digestive tract. into simple sugars, which are slowly absorbed into the bloodstream. The fact that fruits contain a lot of monosaccharides and disaccharides is both good and bad for people. The advantage is that it is absorbed quickly after eating and provides energy in a timely manner; the disadvantage is that if you eat too much sugar-containing water, it will easily cause the blood sugar concentration in the blood to rise sharply, which will stimulate the pancreatic islets to secrete a large amount of insulin, causing the blood sugar concentration to drop quickly. Fluctuations in blood sugar can cause mental instability and discomfort, such as dizziness, lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. When eating vegetables, even if you eat roots and tubers, they are mostly starch. After eating, they are slowly digested and gradually absorbed, so the rise and fall of blood sugar concentration in the human body will not be very dramatic.

After glucose, fructose, and sucrose enter the human liver, they are easily converted into fat, making people fat. Fructose, in particular, is more easily synthesized into fat in the liver. This will also increase triglycerides and cholesterol in people's blood, which is harmful to people's cardiovascular system and can cause hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia. They are also the root cause of arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease, which are even more detrimental to children and the elderly.

Although fruits and vegetables both contain vitamin C and minerals, there are still differences in content. Except for fresh dates, hawthorns, citrus, etc., which contain more vitamin C, general fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, apricots, etc. do not contain as much vitamins and minerals as vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables. Therefore, you still have to eat vegetables if you want to get enough vitamins.

When eating vegetables, you can also obtain other nutrients from salt, vegetable oil, soy sauce and other seasonings through cooking and processing, but eating fruits will be limited in this regard.

Of course, fruits also have their own unique functions. For example, most of them contain various organic acids, such as lemons containing a large amount of citric acid, apples containing a large amount of malic acid, grapes containing tartaric acid, etc. These organic acids can stimulate the secretion of digestive juices. Eating an appropriate amount of fruit after a meal is very beneficial to digestion. In addition, some fruits also contain medicinal ingredients that are not found in vegetables. Generally speaking, fruits and vegetables each have their own characteristics and functions. Fruits cannot replace vegetables, and vegetables cannot replace fruits. In this regard, the ancients have already put forward penetrating insights. They call vegetables and fruits respectively "five vegetables for supplement and five fruits for help", which accurately explains the difference in function and dosage of vegetables and fruits. Vegetables are the main source of vitamins and minerals for people. They can Eat more, and fruits can only be used as an auxiliary means and eaten in small amounts.

Thank you!!