Excessive sugar consumption is a major health problem in most developed countries. A single can of soda can contain half of all the recommended daily sugar for an adult, equivalent to 13 teaspoons. However, three apples also have that amount. So what is the difference between consuming one soft drink and consuming three apples?
Even though they have the same amount of sugar, a soft drink does not provide any nutritional value. Meanwhile, apples provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In addition, they are also more satiating.
However, a few centuries ago apples did not have as much sugar as they do today, as Daniel E. Lieberman states in his book: The History of the Human Body. In fact, all modern fruits have been selectively grown to be much sweeter by farmers.
A few centuries ago, apples were probably as sweet as carrots. In turn, the old carrots were not like the current ones; they weren't even orange - a color they acquired in 16th-century Holland when producers deliberately crossed them so that the vegetable's color matched that of the Dutch Royal House of Orange.
According to "Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What is the Evidence," a study by Donald Davis, a biochemist from the University of Texas, in the 1950s many fruits were different than how they are today. The current ones, in comparison, are 50% poorer in iron and have 12% less calcium and 15% less vitamin A.
