Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, and Spices

In this chapter, the author explores the various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices and their structure and chemical properties. Plants are not as mobile as their animal counterparts; instead, their survival depends on their ability as virtuosic alchemists. Plants use colors, tastes, textures, scents, and all manner of chemical creations to ward off enemies and attract friends. Comprising simple elements, plants are constructed out of the very earth itself; that and a smattering of water, air, and light effectively transforms the earth into food on which all animal life ultimately depends. Furthermore, plants and animals are fundamentally different, not only in their mobility but also in the way they nourish themselves in order to grow and reproduce. Plants, in essence, build their tissues out of minerals, air, and water while harvesting sunlight for its energy requirements. Animals, however, cannot extract energy from the sun, nor can they construct tissue, blood, and bones from the earth's primitive materials. For this, they must obtain them premade in the form of plants or other living things making them predatory heterotrophs and plant autotrophs.