Vegetables, a little about them, do you enjoy them?

What are vegetables?

Speaking from a botanical or gardening point of view, vegetables are the leaves, stems or roots of plants. However, many non-sweet fruits are commonly considered vegetables for eating or cooking purposes.

Different types of vegetables
Vegetables can be broadly classified into four categories:

1. Above-ground vegetables: greens (spinach, lettuce, chard, etcetera), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, et cetera), bulbs (onions, garlic) and fungi (mushrooms).

2. Below-ground/root/starchy vegetables: beets, carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, (swede), turnip, yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes etc.

3. Gourds: pumpkins, hard-shelled squashes and other winter squashes.

4. Technically fruits but treated like vegetables: avocados, olives, bell peppers, eggplant/aubergine, tomatoes and zucchini/courgette. Unlike other fruits, these aren’t sweet and are often prepared and consumed with other vegetables. Avocados and olives are unique among fruits and vegetables because most of their calories come from fat rather than sugar or starch.

Nutritional composition of vegetables

Above-ground vegetables are low carb/keto-friendly foods that provide 5 or fewer grams of net carbs per 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving. Not so for the root and starchy vegetables, however, which range from 6 to 17 grams of net carbs per serving. Vegetables usually contain moderate to high amounts of fibre, especially avocado — which also happens to be among the lowest in net carbs.

Overall, vegetables are more nutrient-dense than fruits, although their vitamin and mineral content can also be affected by factors like growing and storage conditions. Most veggies are good to excellent sources of potassium, and bell peppers and cruciferous vegetables are also high in vitamin C.

Low-carb vegetables – read more about the best and the worst here

Words above taken from article 'Do you need to eat fruits and vegetables?' which you can read here

With dinner yesterday I enjoyed a mix of vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peas, followed with some blueberries and cream for dessert 😋

Vegetables, do you enjoy them? - Have you a few favourites? Do please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas within this blog. Please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan