vegetables

Vegetables are edible parts of plants such as roots, leaves, stem, etc. They are highly perishable food stuff and seasonal.

      CLASSIFICATION OF VEGETABLES.

1. Roots or tubers; Cassava, cocoyam, potato, yam, carrots.

2. Green leafy vegetables; Spinach, okra, waterleaf, lettuce, cabbage.

3. Bulbs; onions, carrots, garlic, turnips, shallots.

4. Pulses and legumes; beans, peas nuts.

5. Miscellaneous vegetables; cucumber, pepper, lettuce, pumpkin.

       NUTRITIVE VALUE OF VEGETABLES.

Vegetables especially the leafy ones are rich in B-complex vitamins and also contain a full amount of vitamin C. Vegetables also contains Carotene which is precursor to vitamin A. They serve as a mild laxative for easy defication.

        SOURCES OF MINERAL ELEMENTS.

Vegetables are good sources of minerals such as iron, calcium, sodium, sulphur, phosphorus.

        NUTRITIVE COMPONENT OF VEGETABLES.

1. Protein; pulses are rich in second hand protein, the other classes of vegetables contain body building materials.

2. Carbohydrate; are present in form of starch, sugar and cellulose.

Starch is the chief nutrient of roots vegetable such as cassava, sweet potatoes, cocoyam, and yams of all kinds.

Sugar; there are some sugar in carrots and sweet potatoes.

3. Mineral salts; potassium, iron, calcium, salt, phosphorus, are all present in some leafy vegetables, pulses and roots.

4.  Vitamin A, B, C; they are present in vary quantities in vegetables. Vitamins is present in tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, green pepper, germinated pulses, and all green and yellow vegetables contain vitamin A and B-complexes.

Vitamins are present in most pulses.

1. Water; All vegetables contain a large percentage of water.

    FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING LEAFY

                                   VEGETABLES.

1. The color should be attractive and look crisp and fresh.

2. They should be free from Insect attack.

3. The leaves should not drop when the bunch is shaken.

4. The mid strip of large leaves should snap sharply when broken.

    EFFECTS OF HEAT ON LEAFY VEGETABLES.

1. Loss of nutrient in some vegetables.

2. The color changes i.e. in leafy vegetables.

EVALUATION; Classify the types of vegetables and give examples of each.

ASSIGNMENT; State major differences between fruits and vegetables.