The Composition
and Qualities of Fruits
and Vegetables
What makes a vegetable tender or tough?
Why do leafy greens shrink so much when
cooked? Why do apples and avocados turn
brown when cut open? Why are green potatoes
dangerous? Why do some fruits get sweet in
the bowl, and others just older? The key to
understanding these and other characteristics
is a familiarity with the structural and
chemical makeup of plant tissues.
Plant Structure:
Cells, Tissues, and Organs
The Plant Cell Like animals, plants are built
up out of innumerable microscopic chambers
called cells. Each cell is surrounded and
contained by a thin, balloon-like cell
membrane constructed from certain fat-like
molecules and proteins, and permeable to