Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh vegetables and fruits are among the best foods a person can eat. They have many substances the body needs, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fruits and vegetables protect against a number of diseases and are relatively low in calories, low in sodium, and have no cholesterol. But according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, produce accounted for twice as many cases of sickness between 1990 and 2005 than any other type of food--more than 34,000. Readers explore how something good for your health can also make people ill, including how growers, processors, shippers, and sellers keep fruit and vegetables safe--or not--in this insightful and straightforward narrative. Readers also learn about steps they can take to know where the food they eat comes from, how to support locally grown fruit and vegetables, how to read labels, and how to safely handle their produce once it is in their home.