Eat to Live 31
tooth directs us to those foods ideally "designed" for our primate her-
itage — fruit. Fresh fruit offers us powerful health-giving benefits.
Researchers have discovered substances in fruit that have unique
effects on preventing aging and deterioration of the brain.^2 Some
fruits, especially blueberries, are rich in anthocyanins and other com-
pounds having anti-aging effects.^3 Studies continue to provide evi-
dence that more than any other food, fruit consumption is associated
with lowered mortality from all cancers combined.^4 Eating fruit is vi-
tal to your health, well-being, and long life.
Regrettably, our human desire for sweets is typically satisfied by
the consumption of products containing sugar, such as candy barsand ice cream — not fresh fruit. The U.S. Food and Drug Adminis-
tration estimates that the typical American now consumes an unbe-
lievable 32 teaspoons of added sugar a day.^5 That's right, in one day.As we shall see, we need to satisfy our sweet tooth with fresh,
natural fruits and other plant substances that supply us not just with
carbohydrates for energy but also with the full complement of indis-
pensable substances that prevent illness.Nutritional Lightweights: Pasta and White Bread
Unlike the fruits found in nature — which have a full ensemble of
nutrients — processed carbohydrates (such as bread, pasta, and cake)
are deficient in fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals, all of
which have been lost in processing.Compared with whole wheat, typical pasta and bread are missing:
- 62 percent of the zinc
- 72 percent of the magnesium
- 95 percent of the vitamin E
- 50 percent of the folic acid
- 72 percent of the chromium
- 78 percent of the vitamin B 6
- 78 percent of the fiber
In a six-year study of 65,000 women, those with diets high in re-
fined carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, and pasta had two
and a half times the incidence of Type II diabetes, compared with
those who ate high-fiber foods such as whole-wheat bread and brown