The Pesky Pests For starters, there are more than one million harmful insects and some 1,500 plant diseases that compete with and damage crops. But, it's not a pretty picture. Apples are often infected by scab, a plant disease which causes, misshapen fruit that usually drops early. Peaches are highly vulnerable to a fungus called brown rot. Oranges are often destroyed by fruit flies, which invade trees and fruit.
Cabbage is the food of choice for numerous hungry worms.
This not only keeps the country fed, it keeps us healthy. Studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of lung, prostate, bladder, esophagus, colorectal and stomach cancers. A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber also decreases the risk of heart disease. Made up of oxygen that has an electron imbalance, these free radicals can damage the body's DNA and lead to malignant disease, according to Dr. Daniel Nixon of the American Cancer Society. Fruits and vegetables also help slow the growth of tumors, adds Nixon.