vegetables are good source of nutrients vital for health and maintenance of human body.people who eat more vegetables have a less chances of chronic diseases.Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. (Sauces or seasonings may add fat, calories, or cholesterol.)
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, spinach, lentils, and kidney beans.
Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections.
Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.
All these properties of vegetables become zero if our cooking methods are poor. we should follow the following steps to control losses.
When peeling the skin of vegetables do peel as thinly as possible.
Do not cut vegetables into very small cubes as each small part comes in contact with oxygen, destroying vitamins
Do not soak vegetables if you must soak, use up the soaking water to knead dough, prepare soups and gravies.
Do eat with skin on whenever possible.
Salads should be prepared just before serving and should be served in closed dishes to avoid excessive exposure to air.
Do not throw away the excess water drained after boiling of vegetables.
We should avoid
Squeezing of vegetables after boil.
Soaking in water after thin slice
Parching,
Frying and
Stewing. These are poor practices of cooking.
Methods which help in reducing important nutrients losses are,
Waterless cooking,
Pressure cooking,
Steaming, stir-frying and
Microwaving are
least destructive of nutrients.
control of nutrients losses is important because these are functioning agents in our body..These nutrients help to maintain
Healthier skin
Better quality sleep
Improved cardiovascular health
Reduction of aches and pains in muscles and joints
Decrease or elimination of headaches
Stabilization of blood pressure
More efficient digestion
Stabilization of bowel movements
Elimination of stored toxins. Not B
4. To cook or not to cook?
• Cooking of vegetables is better for
overcome the load of germs. It tender the
food and digestible.
• Some time it betters to eat fresh vegetables
because they contain more nutrients then in
cooked form nutrients leach out in cooking.
5. Why vegetables are important?
Vegetables are good source of
• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fat (little amount)
• water
6. Function of the nutrients
Carbohydrates Energy (fuel
provider)
10. • fats Maintain body
temperature, protection
of body, energy source
Water
Vehicle for oxygen and
nutrients, remove toxins
from body
11. • Healthier skin
• Better quality sleep
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Reduction of aches and pains in muscles and joints
• Decrease or elimination of headaches
• Stabilization of blood pressure
• More efficient digestion
• Stabilization of bowel movements
• Loss of excess weight
• Elimination of stored toxins
12. Minerals losses
• Squeezing of vegetables after boil.
• Soaking in water after thin slice
• Parching,
• Frying and
• Stewing.
13. How to reduce these losses
When peeling the skin of
vegetables do peel as thinly
as possible.
Do not cut vegetables into
very small cubes as each
small part comes in contact
with oxygen, destroying
vitamins
Do not soak vegetables if
you must soak, use up the
soaking water to knead
dough, prepare soups and
gravies.
14. Do eat with skin on whenever
possible.
Salads should be prepared just
before serving and should be
served in closed dishes to avoid
excessive exposure to air.
Do not throw away the excess
water drained after boiling of
vegetables
15. Cooking methods
• Waterless cooking,
• Pressure cooking,
• Steaming, stir-frying and
• Microwaving are
least destructive of nutrients.
16. The fresher the better.
Consume fresh as you can because fresh
vegetables contain more nutrients as
compared to cook vegetables
