15. What you should know about these unique and nutritious foods!

16.  Excellent source of many vitamins, minerals, and fiber Leafy green and yellow vegetables – carotene Tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower – folate All vegetables – fiber  Especially fresh vegetables

17.  How many servings of vegetables is ideal per day?  One serving = 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables ½ cup chopped or cooked vegetables ¾ cup vegetable juice

18.  Factors that influence overall quality of fresh vegetables:  Temperature  Handling  Other considerations:  Buy only what you can use within a short period of time  Seasonal and local vegetables  Organic

19.  What to look for: Good color Firmness Absence of bruises and decay Medium sized vegetables  What to avoid: Wilted or misshapen vegetables Especially small or large vegetables

20.  Canned Can be whole, sliced, or in pieces Most are canned in water or sauces Avoid cans with leaks, dents, or bulges  Bulges can indicate what? Consider the additives  What is one of the more prevalent additives to canned vegetables?

21.  Cons: Loss of texture Color Changes Different flavor Added sodium Some nutrients leach into liquid Controversy of can lining  Pros?

22.  Typically cost less than fresh fruits  Usually maintain just as many nutrients or more than the fresh equivalent  Require shorter cook times because they have already been blanched

23.  Most common form is legumes  Also peppers  Usually high in protein and fiber

24.  Out of dried, frozen, canned, or fresh vegetables, which option contains the most natural nutrients?

25.  Where do vegetables come from?  Can be contaminated with dirt, bacteria, and pesticides  Wash in cool, running water  Trim as close to skin as possible Why?

26.  For most, store on counter until desired ripeness, then refrigerate  Taste best when served cold  Store in covered container in fridge after prepared

27.  Canned Keep in cool, dry place Refrigerate after opening  Frozen Keep frozen until ready to use DO NOT REFREEZE  Dried Store in cool dry place Refrigerate after rehydrated or cooked

28.  Changes that occur: Cellulose (fiber) in vegetables swells making chewing easier Starch also swells making digestion easier Change in flavors and color Nutrients may be lost  Crisp-tender texture is ideal

29.  Use methods with no added water or small amounts of liquid to maintain the most nutrients Minerals, vitamin C, B vitamins are water-soluble  Cooking time should be kept as short as possible  What texture do we want?

30.  Boiling  Steaming  Pressure-cooking  Baking  Frying  Stir-frying  Broiling  Microwaving

31.  Classification of vegetables 1. By flavor 2. By color 3. By the part of the plant from which they come

32. According to the part of the plant they come from

33.  Grow just below the ground’s surface  Produce fleshy, leafy shoot above ground  Consist of layers of fleshy leaves or clustered segments

34.  Fennel  Garlic  Leek  Onion  Spring onion

35.  The edible flowers of certain vegetables  Sometimes includes the stem of the vegetable

36.  Artichoke  Broccoflower  Cauliflower  Broccoli

37.  Very fleshy part (the fruit) of the plant  The part of the plant that contains the seeds

38.  Chilli  Cucumber  Eggplant  Fuzzy melon  Plantain  Pumpkin and squash  Tomato

39.  The manufacturing area of the plant.  Photosynthesis turns sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into high-energy carbohydrates

40.  Spinach  Lettuce  Kale  Collards

41.  Also called legumes, these are the seeds that grow in pods  Part of the plant from which new plants grow  High in carbohydrates and other nutrients

42.  Beans  Peas  Snow peas  Sweet corn

43.  Large underground stem (grows on the root of the plant)  Stores nutrients

44.  Earth gem  Jerusalem artichoke  Kumara (sweet potato)  Potato  Yam

45.  Potatoes exposed to light may develop a greenish color, which is harmless. However, the green indicates there may be solanine, which is a harmful, bitter tasting compound. Cut away sprouts and green portions of potatoes  Chlorophyll – green color in fruits and vegetables; chemical compound used by plants to turn sun’s energy into food

46.  Stores the plant’s food supplies  Sends moisture and nutrients to the rest of the plant

47.  Beetroot  Carrot  Celeriac  Parsnip  Radish  Turnip

48.  Edible stalk of the plant  Grows above ground  Usually stalk is the main part of these vegetable plants

49.  Asparagus  Celery

50.  Some vegetables can fit into more than one category if several parts of the plant are eaten  No matter which category they are from: Antioxidants – Vitamin C, Vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids Phytochemicals – sugars, fiber, vitamins, antioxidants Other nutrients!