Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

184 ALICE CALLAHAN, PHD, HEATHER LEONARD, MED, RDN, AND TAMBERLY POWELL, MS, RDN
Figure 4.8. Choose MyPlate graphic illustrating the USDA food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains,
protein and dairy.
Fruits– Fruits are sweet, so we know they must contain sugar. Fruits contain sucrose,
glucose, and fructose. This sugar is naturally-occurring and comes packaged with other great
nutrients, like Vitamin C and potassium. Whole fruit also contains fiber, since fiber is found
in all whole plant foods. Juice has little to no fiber, even high pulp orange juice.
Vegetables– Some vegetables are sweet and also contain sugar, although much less than
fruit. Similar to fruits, some vegetables (like carrots and green beans) contain small amounts
of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Starchy vegetables (corn, peas, and potatoes, for example)
primarily contain starch but some are also sweet and contain sucrose, glucose, and fructose
(sweet potatoes and sweet corn, for example). Just like whole fruit, any whole vegetable also
contains fiber.
Grains– Grains naturally contain starch and fiber. Sprouted grains also contain maltose.
If grains are sweetened (sugar is added), they might contain sucrose (white cane sugar) or
fructose and glucose (honey and/or HFCS).