The Nutritional Composition and Health Benefits of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are primarily composed of water, which constitutes a significant percentage of their weight. This water content varies widely among different types of produce, ranging from 65% in persimmons to a remarkable 96% in cucumbers. Besides water, fruits and vegetables are predominantly low in protein and lipids while being rich in carbohydrates, making them essential components of a balanced diet. They also provide a plethora of micronutrients, including vital vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, and folate, which are crucial for maintaining overall health.

Notably, most fruits and vegetables have low lipid content, with a few exceptions. Avocado and olives are unique among commonly consumed produce, containing up to 15% lipids. These lipids are primarily present in the form of cell membrane components, which play a critical role in maintaining cellular integrity and facilitating various metabolic reactions. Unlike other food sources such as oilseeds—cottonseed, palm, peanut, and soybean—avocados and olives are categorized as fruits and vegetables despite their higher lipid content.

The lipids in fruits and vegetables are often unsaturated fatty acids, which contribute to the fluidity and function of cell membranes. These unsaturated fats are beneficial for heart health, reducing inflammation, and improving cholesterol levels. Therefore, including a variety of fruits and vegetables in one's diet not only provides essential hydration and nutrients but also supports metabolic health and cellular function through their lipid content.

In summary, the primary chemical makeup of fresh fruits and vegetables is water, with a low presence of proteins and lipids but a high carbohydrate content. Their rich micronutrient profile and the beneficial unsaturated lipids in certain fruits like avocados and olives make them indispensable to a healthy diet.
The Nutritional Composition and Health Benefits of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Chemical composition of fruit

Fruit quality ultimately depends on chemical composition. Composition of fruit not only vary according to botanical variety, cultivation practices, and weather, but also change with the degree of maturity prior to harvest the condition of ripeness and storage conditions.

In mature fresh fruit, there are many chemical constituents and enzyme systems functioning to carry on their physiological performance without interfering with or rejecting one another.

Most fresh fruits are high in water content and low in protein and fat. In these cases water contents will be greater than 70% and frequently greater than 85%.

However, when juice is extracted from the fruit by crushing, pressing, or reaming, constituent mixing occurs, which of uncontrolled, can lead to undesirable changes in flavor, color, aroma and stability.
Fruits are also important sources of both digestible and indigestible carbohydrates. The digestible carbohydrates are present largely in the form of sugars and starches while indigestible cellulose provides fibers that are important to normal digestion.

A substantial proportion of complex carbohydrates in fruits is present as dietary fiber in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectic substances and lignin.

Fruits are also important sources of minerals and certain vitamins, especially vitamin A and C. Green and yellow fruits are rich source of vitamin A (beta-carotene). They contribute over 50% of total vitamin A. Similarly, thiamin, niacin an folic acid are essential for the normal functioning of visual and several other processes in the human body.
Chemical composition of fruit 

Chemical composition of fruit

Fruit as a dessert item, is the mature ovaries of plants with their seeds. The edible portion of most fruit is the fleshy part of the pericarp or vessel surrounding the seeds.

The quality attributes and evaluation methods of fruits could be grouped into three categories: physical, chemical and physiological on the basis of analytical process and principle involved.

Fruits normally contain between 10% and 25% carbohydrates, less than 1% of protein and less than 0.5% of fat.

Compositions of fruit not only vary for a given kind in according to botanical variety, cultivation practices and weather but also to the changes with degree of maturity prior to harvest.

Carbohydrates, sugars, and starches are broken down into CO2, water and energy during catabolism.

Natural sugar such as fructose, glucose, and sucrose are the major contributors to the sweetness of fruits, whereas the tart flavor component is partially due to organic acids located in the cell sap.

Fruits like banana, plantain, date raisin, breadfruit, and jackfruit are the major sources of carbohydrates.

Proteins and amino acids are contained in dried apricot and fig. Meanwhile citrus fruit like oranges, grapefruit and lemons are high in citric acid.

Acidity varies with maturity of the plant usually decreasing as the fruit ripening.

Fruits are also known as an important sources of minerals and certain vitamins, such as vitamins A and C. It is well known that citrus are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Chemical composition of fruit