Food Science and Processing

FOOD SCIENCE AND PROCESSING 3 (2+1)

Lesson 14 : Vegetables

Introduction

Vegetables are plants or parts of plants that are used as food. The term vegetable has through usage come to apply in a more narrow sense to those plants or parts of plants that are served raw or cooked as a part of the main course of a meal.

Vegetables supply many nutrients besides providing variety to the diet. They make the food attractive by their colour, texture and flavor.

People do not eat vegetables or eat less in quantity because they are expensive, need more preparation time, or due to ignorance of the importance of vegetables. As they are perishable, the consumption would be limited if storage facilities are not available.

Various parts of plants are used as food the botanical classification of such parts is important because if furnishes some clue to the structure and composition which in turn may influence the use of vegetables in the raw state and the method or time of cooking. Various parts of plants vary in their water, protein, vitamin, mineral and carbohydrate contents.