Cancer researchers propose that a heightened sense of bitterness
might be a healthy trait, allowing people to select foods with the
highest phytonutrient content. This view contrasts with the food
industry’s practice of measuring the content of these bitter phytonu-
trients merely as a way of developing new non-bitter, phytonutrient-
deficient strains. So while some nutrition scientists propose enhanc-
ing phytonutrients in foods for better health, the standard industry
practice has been to remove them for better taste. Indeed, the lower
amount of bitter compounds in the modern diet reflects the “achieve-
ment” of the food industry. The irony is that as agricultural scientists
remove more phytonutrients from plants, farmers have to use even
more chemical pesticides to protect their crops; thus consumers are
left with the double-whammy of vegetables and fruits with less nutri-
tion and more harmful pesticides.
In addition to bitterness, an astringent taste is also associated
with healthy phytonutrients. These tastes can actually be quite attrac-
tive. Consider a fine aged Bordeaux wine or a high-quality green tea.
Unfortunately, these are exceptions and sweetness is a dominant taste
preference, or perhaps “addiction” is a better word.
You can get more phytonutrients into your diet by eating foods
that have a natural bitter or astringent taste. Zucchini and other
squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, melon, citrus and many other veg-
etables and fruits, along with almonds and many types of beans, con-
tain natural phytonutrients, as do red wine, green tea and cocoa.
Eat as much of as many types of vegetables and fruits as you can,
both cooked and raw. Making these healthy vegetable choices is just
another journey on the road to optimal health and human perform-
ance. In addition to variety, the highest quality vegetables and fruits
may be those that are organically grown, as discussed in the next
chapter.
VITAL VEGETABLES AND FRUITS • 103