Vegetable Classifications Chapter 31 - Food for Today
VEGETABLES • • • • • •
5 servings per day recommended Lots of vitamins and minerals High in fiber No cholesterol Low calories, fat and sodium Many contain antioxidants A, C and lycopene
What are antioxidants? • Protect body cells and the immune system from damage that can be done from harmful chemicals from the air and in some foods.
Types of Vegetables • Vegetables come from different parts of plants. • What parts of a plant can I eat? 1. Flowers 2. Fruits 3. Seeds 4. Stems 5. Leaves 6. Roots 7. Tubers 8. Bulbs
Flowers - The edible flowers of certain vegetables
Fruits – Fleshy and contain seeds that can be eaten but cannot grow a new plant.
Seeds – the part of the plant that will grow a new plant if cultivated in the ground.
Stems -the edible stalks of plants.
Leaves – the edible leaves of a plant.
Roots – store the plant’s food supply.
Tubers – large underground stem that stores nutrients.
Bulbs – layers of fleshy leaves surrounding the underground part of the stem.
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III. Fresh Vegetables • Fresh vegetables are appealing for their taste, appearance, versatility, and nutritional value. • Prices are lower when vegetables are in season.
• Ripeness: Fresh vegetables should be used within two to five days. • Color & Texture: Should be bright and crisp. • Avoid green potatoes = Solanine: A bitter, toxic substance that becomes a green color after having been exposed to light.
• Shape: Misshapen vegetables have inferior texture and flavor. • Size: The vegetable should feel heavy for it’s size. Extra large may be over ripe, too small will lack flavor. • Condition: Avoid wilted, decayed, or damaged vegetables = bacteria growth.
• Sprouts, or new offshoots growing from vegetables, bulbs and tubers indicate that the vegetables have been stored too long.
• To store vegetables in the refrigerator, wash them thoroughly and place them in a container with holes to let in moisture. • Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator, as they can mold. Store them in a dark place, or in a paper bag.
• Store onions in a cool, dry place, by themselves.
• When washing vegetables, hold them under cool running water. • Soaking causes nutrient loss.
• Salad greens: When leaf vegetables are eaten raw, like lettuce.
• Cooking greens: leaf vegetables that are cooked before being seasoned and eaten.
Sea Vegetables • are classified as algae rather than plants, and include arame, kombu, wakame & hijiki • also known as seaweeds, these vegetables are grow in waters with filtered sunlight
Types of Sea Vegetables • Arame (ah-rah-meh) – Raw in salads or sautéed
• Kombu (KOHM-boo) – Aka kelp – Soups, salads, stews, stir fry
Types of Sea Vegetables • Laver (LAY-vuhr) – Soups or deep fried & Sold in sheets
• Wakame (WAK-kah-meh) – Soups and salads
Types of Sea Vegetables
• Nori (NOH-ree)
• Dulse (duhls)
– Used to wrap seafood & sushi
– Eaten like beef jerky
• Hijiki (hee GEE-kee) – Eaten like beef jerky
Carrageen (KAR-uh-geen) • A sea vegetable that helps produce the consistency of such products as ice cream and salad dressings.
Cooking vegetables affects: • Nutrients: can be destroyed by heat & water. • Texture: heat softens fibers, making them tender. • Color: when cooked properly, the color remains. • Flavor: heat releases flavor, making vegetables more delicious.
• Don’t salt while cooking! • Allow the true flavor of vegetables to come through.
• Steaming is a nutritious way to cook vegetables. Because the vegetables are not cooked in water, fewer water-soluble nutrients are lost.
• Vegetables can also be: Braised Baked Roasted Grilled – Blanching them first will shorten time.
• Microwaving vegetables: Cooks quickly, using only a small amount of water. Few nutrients, color, texture & flavor are lost.
IV. Convenience Form of Vegetables • Canned can be whole, sliced, or in pieces. • Frozen are closest in nutrients, color, and flavor, although texture will be different. • Dried vegetables are dehydrated, with water removed.
V. Using Leftover Vegetables • Marinate them for a salad. • Add cooked vegetables to a stir fry dish.