VEGGIES AND VITAMIN A Notes

What is a Vegetable?  A vegetable is an edible plant.  It can come from many different parts of the plant.

For example:

What nutrients do they contain?  Most are low in calories and fat.  High in vitamins – especially A and C A and C

Vitamin A  Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin.  Because excess can be stored in fat you need only to eat a good source every other day.  There is a pigment in orange, dark yellow and dark green vegetables that is called Carotene. Your body uses half of it to make Vitamin A and discards the other half.

What does Vitamin A do?  It helps your eyes with night vision and adjustment.  Essential in cell formation and stimulates growth.

 It is the “ beauty ” vitamin…Helps to give shiny hair, smooth skin, etc.

History of Vitamin A  First vitamin actually discovered.

 Nightblindness

Good Sources of Vitamin A  Fruits and veggies that are bright orange, bright yellow, or dark green  Tomatoes  Carrots  Spinach  Sweet potatoes  Cantaloupe  broccoli

BUYING AND COOKING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Selection and Storage  Make sure they are crisp and fresh looking  Buy a good quality  Heavy and firm  No marks or bruises  Buy what you can use in 2 – 7 days  Refrigerate them except the bulb vegetables  Wash them just before using. Do not soak them  Handle carefully  Remove any spoilage

Cooking (to retain nutrition)  Remember the three R’s 1. Reduce surface or air 2. Reduce water 3. Reduce amount of heat.

Methods of cooking  Boil-lose lots of nutrients to water  Steam – reduces water  Bake – reduces water, reduces air  Stir Fry – reduces heat, reduces water, increases air  Saute’ – reduces water, increases air  Fry (Pan or Deep) reduces water  Microwave - reduces water, reduces heat (time)

A WELL-COOKED VEGETABLE -  Tender but crisp texture  Vivid color  Good flavor  Full of nutrients