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| Sunday, 18 August 2002 |
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You might be a meat and potato person. You may even detest the mention of carrots and beans. But as any good doctor will tell you, veggies are vital for a person's wellbeing, especially when it comes to preventing diseases and repairing our body. Commencing this week,(just so you don't accuse us of being delinquent in our attention to nutrition and all that ugh.. stuff) we plan to get up close and personal with a specific veggie. And we begin by examining the importance of vegetables in general and how to preserve their nutritive values while preparing them for the table. So here goes.... Vegetable are valuable in maintaining alkaline reserve in the body, and are valued for their high vitamin and mineral contents, especially vitamins A.B and C. Faulty cooking and prolonged careless storage can however, destroy these valuable elements. The different kinds of vegetables include edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds. Each group contributes to good sources of vitamin B group. Seeds are relatively high in carbohydrates and proteins. Leaves, stem and fruits are excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, water and roughage. Most vegetables are best consumed in their natural raw state in the form of salads. An important consideration in making salads is that the vegetables should be fresh, crisp and completely dry. If the veggies have to be cooked, it should be ensured that their nutritive value is preserved to the maximum extent possible. The following tips will be useful in achieving this: 1-After a thorough wash, cut the vegetables into large pieces. 2- Bring the water to boil, add salt to taste and then add the vegetables. This way you can avoid the loss of B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. 3- Use only bare minimum water that is necessary to cover the vegetables. Spinach and other tender greens don't need any water. 4-Don't expose vegetables to atmospheric air. Keep the lid on while cooking. 5-Cook vegetables for as short a time as possible, only until they are soft to the touch for easy chewing. 6-Serve the vegetables hot. To preserve loss of nutrients in vegetables, it would be advisable to steam or boil vegetables in their own juices on a slow fire. The water or cooking liquid should not be drained off. If the vegetables are boiled hard and for a long time in a large quantity of water, they will lose their nutritive and medicinal values. No vegetables should be peeled unless it is so old that the peeling is tough and unpalatable. In most root vegetables, the largest amount of minerals is found directly under the skin and these are lost if vegetables are peeled. Soaking of vegetables should also be avoided if taste and nutritive values are to be preserved. Vegetables should not be cooked in aluminium utensils. Aluminium is a soft metal and is acted upon by both food acids and alkalis. There is scientific evidence to shot that tiny particles of aluminium from foods cooked in such utensils enter the stomach and that the powerful astringent properties of aluminium injure the sensitive lining of the stomach, leading to gastric irritation, digestive and intestinal ailments. An intake of about 280 grams of vegetables per day, per person is considered essential for maintenance of good health. Of this leafy vegetables should constitute 40 per cent, roots and tubers 30 per cent and the other vegetables like aubergine, okra (ladies fingers) the remaining 30 per cent. Vitamins Many vegetables contain a substance known as carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for normal growth and vitality, for good eye-sight and healthy skin and for protection against diseases, especially of the respiratory tract. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to eye infection, poor vision, night blindness, frequent colds, lack of appetite, and skin disorders. Generally deep green, yellow and orange coloured vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, carrots, papaya, tomatoes and yellow pumpkin are rich sources of carotene. Several leafy vegetables like fenugreek leaves, turnip greens and beet greens contain riboflavin, a member of the vitamin B-complex. This vitamins essential for growth and general health, of eyes, skin, nails and hair. A deficiency can lead to cracking of the angles of the mouth, premature wrinkles and eczema. Vitamin C is contained in good amounts in several vegetables such as bitter gourd, tomatoes and leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage and drumstick leaves. Generally leafy vegetables are better sources of vitamin C than dried stale of withered ones. Vitamin C is essential for normal growth and maintenance of body tissues, especially those of the joints, bones, teeth and gums and for protection against infection. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to scurvy, tooth decay, bleeding gums, anaemic and premature ageing. Minerals The highly soluble minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper and potassium contained in the vegetables maintain the acid-based balance of the hydrogen concentration of the body tissues. They help the complete absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates of the food. They also help the body to eliminate excess of liquid and salt. The diuretic action of vegetables like potato, beans, spinach, radish, turnip, aubergine are especially important in cases of oedema or swelling, kidney and heart conditions. Two important minerals, calcium and iron, found in vegetables are especially useful. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Iron is needed for flood formation. It is an essential constituent of haemoglobin, which helps to carry oxygen to the cells in the various parts of the body. Calcium and iron can be obtained in plenty from leafy vegetables like spinach, gotukola and mukunuwenna. Carrot, bitter gourd, onions and tomatoes are also fair sources of iron. ?? |
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