Beck Elandt shows off his lunch snack of ants on a log. The healthy snack is typically made with raisins, peanut butter, and celery. Courtney Prielipp | The Washtenaw Voice
Beck Elandt | Staff Writer
More than three years ago, I decided to stop eating processed sugars on a whim. That meant no candy, no dessert, no soda and a lot more checking nutrition labels. A big part of continuing my decision for so long was a gain of mental clarity and self-discipline.
I’m here to tell you that fruit helps me with sugary cravings, sweet flavors and affordability. Although I don’t mind vegetables, fruits are my favorite because they are the closest thing to a sugary treat. My favorite fruit is definitely bananas, and a close second are pears. I also love ants on a log, which combines celery, peanut butter and raisins.
“When you think about fruits and vegetables nutritionally, your body needs both,” Susan Fenn, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who teaches part-time at WCC said. According to Fenn, there are different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that come from the balance of vegetables and fruits. So how do we know what a fruit or vegetable is?
Categorically, “a fruit develops from the flower of a plant, while the other parts of the plant are categorized as vegetables,” Rachael Ajmera, on the Healthline website, said.
“You need carbs, protein and fat in terms of macronutrients,” notes Fenn on fruits and vegetables. Comparing the two, fruits don’t have much protein or fat, and, instead, provide lots of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and carbohydrates, while vegetables can provide that as well as fat and protein, assuming variety. That said, fruits are a sweeter option.
Being someone who likes the gym, carbs are important to me from a fitness standpoint.
Editors from Muscle & Fitness magazine, explain that a good time to eat fruit is about 30-60 minutes before a workout, particularly if you haven’t eaten a high-carb meal for several hours. When posed the question, “do you prefer fruits or vegetables?” Most students interviewed chose fruits, although several also liked vegetables.
Lolav Zeb who goes to WTMC, is a part of the dentistry program and loves fruit.
“Fruits are the juiciest and the sweetest,” she said. When asked about vegetables, she responded with cucumbers, which are botanically fruits and culinarily a vegetable, according to Danielle DeAngelis, in her “Eating Well” Article.
“Fruits are sweeter,” says Hailey Knox, a nursing major at WCC. Knox loves strawberries and bananas.
“It’s like natural candy” shares Cyrus Cook, member of the health and fitness center, who digs mangoes and strawberries, and prefers broccoli as a vegetable.
Hannah Pham, a chemical engineering major, likes vegetables. “I’m more of a savory person,” said Pham, whose favorite vegetables include mushrooms and Bok choy. “I like to Sauté them with garlic and soy sauce.” When it comes to fruit, Pham enjoys cherry tomatoes, which, like cucumbers, are defined as a vegetable culinarily.
All in all, lots of people who like fruits also like vegetables, and it’s a good idea to have both included in your diet. But something about the sweet flavor of fruit tends to win people over, including myself.
