Vegetables and fruits are valuable sources of nutrients, microelements, vitamins and fiber. They, along with grains, legumes and some protein foods, should form the basis of our diet. Contrary to popular belief, a diet consisting primarily of fruits and vegetables can be quite varied (but not complete!). Moreover, each individual group is characterized by certain properties, composition, taste, and peculiarities of cultivation and consumption.

The classification of vegetables and fruits, which we will consider in this article, will show the diversity of these products and highlight their most significant distinctive features.

What are vegetables and fruits?

Before classifying these groups, you need to understand what exactly we are talking about. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here. Vegetables grow in the garden and are used to prepare main (unsweetened) dishes. Fruits are more of a dessert, a sweet, and they grow on a tree (that’s why they are called “fruits” differently). Indeed, we have indicated the main differences. But there are exceptions.

So, pepper grows from the ovary of a flower. But this is a clear sign that it belongs to fruits. The scientific definition allows us to include cucumbers and even bean pods among them! Since ancient times, the succulent parts of herbaceous plants have been called vegetables. To avoid confusion, we will distinguish between two classifications - scientific and culinary. Thus, if the proposed classification of vegetables and fruits diverges from your usual understanding, do not be surprised. Just look at it through the eyes of a botanist, not a chef.

Vegetables

Let's start with the fact that vegetables (like fruits) belong to the group of “succulent plant crops”, which is why they differ from grains, beans and other products of plant origin. Despite their moisture saturation (up to 80-90% or more), vegetables are rich in valuable nutrients. The wide variety of elements (carbon, nitrogen, mineral salts, etc.) and their dilution make these products easy to absorb by the human body. And this is very important when it comes to rational and nutritious nutrition.

Vegetables: what are they?

A number of characteristics make it possible to divide all vegetables into two large groups: vegetative and generative. The latter eat fruits (inflorescences), while the former eat vegetative organs. Let's consider what kind of classification of vegetables this is. The table below will help us with this.

Vegetative and generative vegetables

Vegetative group of vegetables	Names of vegetables
Tubers	Potatoes, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke
Roots	Carrots, radishes, turnips, beets, celery, etc.
Leafy	Alliums (onions and garlic)
	Brassicas (except broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi)
	Lettuce-spinach (these are various types of lettuce, sorrel, spinach)
	Spicy (coriander, tarragon, dill)
	Dessert (rhubarb)
Rhizomatous	Horseradish
Stem	Asparagus, kohlrabi
Generative group of vegetables	Names of vegetables
Floral	Broccoli, cauliflower
Fruit	Pumpkins (pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, melons and watermelons)
	Tomatoes (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants)
	vegetable beans and peas)
	Cereals (corn)

Using this classification, you will be able to properly structure your diet depending on the characteristics of each group and your body’s need for certain nutrients. In addition, some vegetables are better and easier to digest, while others require more energy for these purposes.

Calorie content of different groups of vegetables

As you already understand, the considered classification of vegetables allows us to divide them not only depending on what part of the product is eaten. Among the most significant differences is such an indicator as the energy value inherent in a particular group.

Why, for example, is it advised to eat potatoes in moderation? This is due to the high calorie content of tuber crops, to which it also belongs. It reaches 70-80 kcal per 100 grams. And we usually use more per serving (200-300 grams). And if you also cook everyone’s favorite fried potatoes or french fries, then it’s better not to start calculating!

Root vegetables are lower in calories - approximately 20-50 kcal per 100 grams of these vegetables. For onion plants, this indicator varies greatly. So, the calorie content of leeks is 36 kcal, and that of garlic reaches as much as 149 kcal! But you shouldn’t exclude these healthy vegetables from your diet; besides, you still need to try to eat 100 grams of garlic at a time.

The greatest variety and no less benefits are characteristic of the group of fruit vegetables. At the same time, their calorie content is very low - on average it varies from 15 to 35 kcal. Therefore, it is recommended to include vegetable salads (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc.) in your daily diet (you can do it more than once a day).

Knowing the approximate calorie content of each group of vegetables, it is easy to determine which ones should be consumed more often and in large quantities, and which ones should be more careful with. At the same time, you shouldn’t refuse some product (potatoes for example) because of its high energy value, because, in addition to calories, it contains a lot of useful substances and vitamins. Limit but exclude.

Another vegetable classification scheme

In addition to the one we have considered, there is another classification, according to which vegetables can be divided into starchy and non-starchy, green. The first include: carrots, beets, pumpkin, zucchini, cauliflower, celery root and parsley, etc. When eating these vegetables, you should combine them correctly with other foods. So, in the company of sugar, they will give you such an unpleasant process as fermentation.

Green and non-starchy foods include everything (parsley, dill, celery, lettuce, etc.), eggplants, bell peppers, cucumbers, garlic, onions, green peas. This group of vegetables is quite easily absorbed by the body and can be combined with almost all foods - from animal proteins to legumes and grains.

The intermediate group is the so-called medium-starchy vegetables. It includes turnips, radishes, rutabaga and some others. In terms of compatibility, these vegetables are closer to green than to starchy. If stomach comfort and good digestion are important to you, we recommend that you carefully study each of the groups we present.

Fruits

The simplest definition of fruit is this: these are edible bushes and trees (from the Latin fructus - fruit). At the same time, our philistine understanding is somewhat different from the botanical one, which is actually broader. If the classification of vegetables included only vegetables (in our usual understanding), then here we will consider all fruits. So, they are called both berries and nuts, which are distinguished by their juiciness and also grow on trees and shrubs. The table below will help us divide all the fruits into groups.

The classification of vegetables and fruits helps us see how diverse this food category is. Each selected group of fruits has its own characteristic features. For example, nuts are the most high in calories. Their energy value can reach 600 kcal or more! Therefore, it is important to limit them in your diet. In addition, nuts are a very difficult product for our body.

Not all fruits are sweet

Another fairly common classification of fruits divides them into sweet, semi-sweet and sour. The latter is the most widely represented in our country.

Citrus fruits, pomegranates, cranberries, pineapples, as well as some varieties of apples, plums, pears, and grapes are called sour. Semi-acidic ones are strawberries, raspberries, sweet-tasting cherries, apples, plums, pears. Sweet bananas, melon, watermelons (and some other fruits) should be limited in your diet and, if possible, not combined with anything.

Apply your knowledge in the kitchen

If you know the classification of fruits, then you can easily build your diet according to the principles of proper nutrition. Is it worth eating more of this salad or is it better to limit it to a small portion? Should potatoes be served as a side dish with meat or legumes?

You can easily answer such questions for yourself. If you master the knowledge that we shared in the article, you will soon have your own classification of vegetable or fruit dishes. Some will become the basis of the diet, others will appear in it less often and in smaller quantities. We hope the information was useful to you and your health.

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Books

• , Alkhasova Jamilya Alibekovna, Bogacheva Alina Aleksandrovna. The materials of the textbook are the educational and methodological complex of the PM module. 01`Preparing dishes from vegetables and mushrooms` according to the profession of secondary vocational education 19.01.17`Cook,…
• Cooking dishes from vegetables and mushrooms (PM. 01). Tutorial. Federal State Educational Standard, Alkhasova Jamilya Alibekovna, Bogacheva Alina Aleksandrovna. The materials of the textbook are the educational and methodological complex of the PM module. 01 "Cooking dishes from vegetables and mushrooms" in the profession of secondary vocational education 01/19/17" Cook,…

Vegetables are one of the main and traditional components of nutrition. Some vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, are always present on the table, while the names of some (for example, katran, jicama or asparagus) are not even familiar to many. In this article we will try to determine which products are classified as vegetables and, in general, where this word came from.

Etymology of the word vegetable

Russian the word "vegetable" comes from the Old Russian word "ovosht". This word has been widely used in speech since the end of the 14th century. The origin of the word is closely related to the main occupation of the Russian people - agriculture, the word was used to designate the fruits of plants and fruits, as well as to designate the process of their growth and ripening. Almost all languages ​​of the Slavic language group have a similar-sounding related word: in Ukrainian - “ovoch”, in Czech - “ovoce” (fruit), Polish - “owoc” (fruit), Bulgarian - ovoshka (fruit tree).

What are vegetables

In general, vegetables are a rather broad and vague concept. In botany, the concept of “vegetable” does not exist. This term is agricultural and culinary.

As a culinary term, vegetable denotes the succulent edible part of specially cultivated garden herbaceous plants (for example, a tuber, stem or fruit), as well as any solid plant food, except fruits, berries, nuts and cereals. What all vegetables have in common is that the succulent part of the plant is eaten. That is, seeds, bark, dry seeds are no longer vegetables. There is an interesting point regarding some cereals. In cooking, cereal is a food product consisting of whole or crushed cereal grains (buckwheat, rice, corn), other grains (barley, wheat) and legumes (lentils, peas). The fruits of a number of legumes (for example, beans, mung beans) and corn can be processed into cereals, and can be used as food in the form of a vegetable dish or canned vegetables (for example, canned beans and boiled corn). It is also interesting that the culinary term “vegetable” can also be applied to edible fruits, which from a botanical point of view are berries (eggplant, tomato), grains (corn).

Vegetables are eaten raw or after appropriate kitchen preparation (a certain dish, vegetable juice, heat treatment, canning, drying). Fruits (cucumber), leaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), tubers (potatoes), bulbs (garlic), heads of cabbage (white cabbage), roots (horseradish), shoots (asparagus) and even flowers and inflorescences of vegetable plants are eaten. (artichoke).

It's impossible to imagine healthy eating without vegetables, because they contain many important nutrients. Vegetables contain the most carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy for the body. Vegetables contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals necessary for the functioning of the body. Vegetables are also an excellent source of fiber, which plays an important role in digestion. There is not much protein in most vegetables, the building material of the body. But there are also vegetables that contain a large amount of protein, for example, legumes and corn. These vegetables are indispensable in the diet of vegetarians. What there is practically no fat in vegetables is fat, which makes vegetables a staple product for those who want to lose weight.

In addition to nutrition, they are widely used to treat diseases. This was especially true earlier, when the pharmaceutical industry could not provide a person with a pill for any ailment and we had to use only what nature gave us.

What types of vegetables are there?

Since there are quite a lot of vegetables, they need to be classified somehow. can be carried out according to various characteristics: botanical belonging to families; by plant lifespan; by the ability to remain fresh over time (keeping quality); by parts of the plant used for food and some other properties.

Variety of vegetable crops

Most vegetable crops are annual or biennial plants. According to various sources, there are from 120 to 250 species of garden plants in the world, belonging to 40 botanical families. For each type of vegetable crop, many varieties have been developed through selection. The number of varieties of some vegetable crops exceeds 100 (for example, peas, potatoes).

The distribution of vegetable crops in different parts and countries of our planet is uneven. The largest number of types of vegetables is consumed by humans in Asia, which is facilitated by a favorable climate and rich flora. In Japan, for example, about a hundred types of vegetable crops are grown, in China - about 80, in India - more than 60.

According to various sources, about 50-60 types of vegetable crops are grown in Russia. The largest sown areas are occupied by onions, beets, carrots, white cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and potatoes. Less common are zucchini, beans, bell peppers, radishes, parsley, green peas, pumpkin, lettuce, dill, turnips, and radishes.

In other countries the picture is different. In Italy, for example, a lot of tomatoes and artichokes are grown; in Bulgaria - sweet peppers, tomatoes and onions, in Mexico - corn and hot peppers. The main vegetable in many Arab countries is beans.

Sea vegetables

Term "Sea vegetables" was introduced into use by the American Judis K. Madlener, who published a book of the same name in 1977. In her book, she called seaweed eaten as sea vegetables.

Seaweeds are primitive photosynthetic plants that have no obvious stems, roots or leaves. The most famous sea vegetables are the brown algae kelp (seaweed) and undaria, a red porphyry algae.

Sea vegetables are most popular in Southeast Asia (Japan, Korea, China), Oceania (Polynesia, New Zealand) and South America. In Russia, everyone is familiar with the taste of seaweed. But Europeans and North Americans hardly eat algae. And, by the way, in vain!

Experts consider it the healthiest food in the world. They contain almost all the minerals found in the world's oceans. The mineral composition of sea vegetables is close to the mineral composition of healthy human blood. In terms of the content of vitamins and minerals, sea vegetables have no equal among plants. In addition, they are rich in protein, the content of which varies depending on the type at the level of 10-48%. Like land plants, algae contain large amounts of energy in the form of carbohydrates.

Vegetable classification
About 70 types of vegetables are grown in our country alone. Despite all the external differences between vegetable plants, they are all vegetables. Vegetables can be classified according to different criteria. This is what the article is about.

Vegetables is a concept that in cooking means “edible part.” These may include fruits, tubers of certain plant species, as well as various plant solid foods.

Vegetables occupy an important place in the human diet, be it fruits or plant tubers. People started eating vegetables several thousand years ago. At first, they collected those vegetable crops that nature provided. These were mainly fruits, leaves, roots and seeds. Over time, people began to sort and preserve certain varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs that gave a good harvest. It is generally accepted that selection and cultivation began during that period.

As the years passed, people realized that they could grow tasty and nutritious vegetables on their own. They began to collect seeds and grow vegetable crops from them, planting them in the soil. The land had to be cultivated before planting. At this stage, farming and farming began. They were followed by selective breeding, which was necessary to select vegetable crops that brought large yields. People began to adapt plants to different climatic conditions and sort them depending on their beneficial qualities. In the early days of vegetable breeding, there was mostly unconscious artificial selection, which continued until the 17th century. People selected vegetables for the characteristics they needed, completely unconsciously. They did not understand that it was possible to change this or that type of vegetable in the required direction.

In the 19th century, a man came up with a brilliant idea, which consisted of crossing vegetables of various varieties and varieties. Such vegetable hybrids could satisfy the gastronomic needs of people.

Several decades ago, a science called genetic engineering arose. With its advent, scientists began to cross-breed vegetable crops from one species to another. They also began to modify and sort the best examples of vegetables that were created artificially. However, genetic engineering could only become a science in the 20th century. Scientists began to share the acquired knowledge, experience and skills with each other and pass them on to their successors. This accumulated experience has been useful for growing modern vegetable crops that provide us with their fruits.

Today, under the concept of “vegetables” there are already 1000 species of plants. Most of them people use in cooking. They are eaten raw, fried, stewed, boiled, dried or pickled. Vegetables are canned, fermented, pickled or pickled for the winter. You can also prepare a wide variety of dishes from them.

Almost no salad is possible without boiled or fresh vegetables. Based on this, we can safely assume that vegetable fruits are one of the most important components of the diet of every person on Earth.

Classification and types of vegetables

The range of vegetables is divided into different types and classifications. Many people are interested in the question of what types of vegetables there are or what is the basis for the classification of vegetables. To answer these questions, in this section of the article we will dwell on this in more detail.

The classification of fresh vegetable crops is described in the table.

Type of vegetables	Name
Roots	The underground part of carrots, horseradish, radishes, turnips, daikon, radishes, beets, parsnips.
Tomato	Tomatoes, sweet or bitter peppers.
	Peas, chickpeas, red and white beans, beans.
Tuberous	Jerusalem artichoke or potato tubers.
Cereals	Corn.
Brassicas	Broccoli or kohlrabi and various varieties of cabbage.
Pumpkin	The fruits of pumpkin, cucumbers, squash, eggplant and zucchini.
	Parsley, marjoram, dill, thyme, basil or mint.
Dessert	Asparagus and rhubarb tops.
Leafy	Foliage of sorrel, chard, lettuce, quinoa, nettle, spinach.
Bulbous	Roots of leeks, garlic or onions.

You can see what the described vegetables look like in the photo in this section.

Each species included in this classification can have a large number of different varieties.

Fresh vegetable crops are divided into 2 groups:

1. Vegetative. In this group, the root system, plant tops, tubers, foliage, bulbous parts and other reproductive organs serve as food for humans.
2. Fruit. Both fruits and seeds from this vegetable group are used.

Based on their shelf life, vegetables can be classified into the following subtypes:

• vegetables going into a dormant state, such as onions, carrots, cabbage, garlic, potatoes and beets;
• incapable of transitioning to this state (leaves of sorrel, lettuce and others).

Vegetables are also divided according to their lifespan into:

1. Annuals. These include tomatoes, radishes, as well as bush plants - lettuce and dill.
2. Two-year-olds. In the first year of life, plants of this species develop reproductive organs, and in the second year, seeds. These include different varieties of carrots, beets, onions, white and red cabbage.
3. Perennial. These vegetables can produce more than one year in a row. These vegetables are sorrel, rhubarb, Jerusalem artichoke, asparagus, horseradish and others.

Each vegetable crop included in the classification of fruits and vegetables can have a large number of species and varieties. Such a rich assortment can provide a person with a varied diet.

You can find out what other properties vegetables have in the next section.

Useful and healing properties

Vegetables not only have beneficial properties, but can also have a healing effect on the human body.

Why are fresh, baked, frozen or boiled vegetables so beneficial? It is very important for a person to eat fresh vegetables. They supply the body with vitamins and macro- and microelements, essential oils, organic acids, pectin substances and phytoncides.

Vegetables can be added to absolutely any menu. They contain fiber, proteins, carbohydrates and relatively little fat. In the list of the most popular and popular vegetable crops, potatoes are in first place. It’s hard to imagine any tasty dish or salad without this vegetable.

Vegetables can awaken the desire for food and increase the secretion of gastric juice. Many people prefer to eat raw vegetables. But often people subject them to various types of heat treatment, such as boiling, stewing, frying, baking or drying. If you eat foods that have undergone heat treatment, the beneficial properties of vegetables will noticeably decrease. The method of canning, freezing, drying, salting or pickling is necessary in order to preserve food for as long as possible. With the method of quick freezing, fermentation or drying, the main content of vitamins and amino acids is not lost.

Doctors and nutritionists say that every person should eat at least 40 varieties of vegetables. And this figure is not taken out of thin air. The fact is that vegetables are tasty and healthy food. In addition, they are endowed with healing properties and are much cheaper than pharmaceutical drugs. You don't need a doctor's prescription to start a healthy vegetable diet.

Some types of fruits and vegetables are very beneficial for people suffering from certain diseases. These products bring great benefits to the human body. The vegetables that the gardener grows with his own hands in his summer cottage do not contain harmful chemicals and nitrates.

What fresh vegetables are rich in:

1. Potato tubers. They form the basis of many dish recipes. And it’s no coincidence. Potatoes are a source of energy and can also relieve constipation and reduce acidity in the body. It is very useful to drink potato juice, which is prescribed for the prevention of gastritis and ulcers of the stomach and duodenum.
2. Eggplant. They contain fiber in large doses. It is responsible for the normal functioning of the intestinal system and reduces the production of “bad” cholesterol in the circulatory system. These fruits can prevent the development of diseases such as atherosclerosis and anemia. Eggplants can also be a good preventive measure to combat ischemia. Nutritionists recommend eating eggplants due to their low calorie content for those who suffer from increased body weight.
3. Zucchini and zucchini. These vegetables help strengthen the body's nervous and immune systems. If you include zucchini in your diet, you can improve brain activity and concentration. Another positive point is that these vegetables can normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and normalize metabolism. Doctors prescribe a zucchini diet for patients with diabetes and hepatitis.
4. White cabbage. It helps strengthen the immune system, fight excess weight and “bad” cholesterol. Cabbage leaves also help rejuvenate cells and tissues in the body. Obese people should definitely eat cabbage raw.
5. Bulb onions. This healthy type of vegetable destroys germs and strengthens the immune system. In addition, the bulbs normalize blood pressure and have a therapeutic effect on varicose veins, kidney disease and high blood sugar. For bee stings, onion juice will help reduce inflammation and itching, and fresh onion juice can also be used to combat acne and warts.
6. Carrot. This vegetable has many beneficial and medicinal properties. These include wound healing and reduction of various types of tumors. Carrots also have a calming, anthelmintic and diuretic effect and can even rejuvenate tissues and cells, slowing down the aging of the body. Anyone who often consumes raw carrots will have excellent skin. For men, this vegetable is interesting because it can improve the reproductive function of the body.
7. Cucumbers. For this dietary vegetable, it will not be difficult to remove “harmful” cholesterol from the human body. The fruits of cucumbers can increase the body's resistance to various viral diseases and acute respiratory viral infections, get rid of toxins, and also normalize blood pressure. It is not for nothing that nutritionists prescribe this vegetable to overweight people as a diet for special fasting days.
8. Sweet pepper or paprika. This vegetable is a low-calorie and dietary food product. Paprika has a healing effect on the digestive system, fights flatulence and cramps in the intestines.
9. Tomatoes. They are also dietary and easily digestible foods that can remove excess fluid from the body. Drinking tomato juice and eating fresh fruits is useful for impaired metabolism, intestinal disorders and heart diseases. Tomato fruits can rejuvenate tissues and cells of the body, normalize sleep and vision.
10. Daikon radish. This Japanese vegetable is low in calories, but it contains a huge amount of enzymes. Daikon is a champion in vitamin content (PP and C). This overseas vegetable does not contain mustard oil, which gives a burning taste. This vegetable is very tender, juicy and tasty. This vegetable crop is very useful to use for colds, neuroses and disorders of the digestive system.

Many vegetables already contain flavorful enzymes that can transform simple foods into delicious, healthy culinary options that are easy to digest.

Doctors and nutritionists advise eating both fresh and slightly processed vegetables more often. This helps reduce the risks of the formation of benign and malignant tumors, heart and vascular diseases. Moreover, vegetables should be present not only in the menu of an adult. They are also important for children. Eat fresh vegetables more often to stay healthy!

Use in cooking

Today vegetables are used everywhere in cooking. The fact is that the recipes for many dishes contain one or another type of vegetable crops. If you add vegetables to a dish, it will sparkle with new notes of taste, aroma and will look much more original.

Vegetable crops are very widely used in the culinary field. These are various soups, borscht, pie fillings, stews, casseroles or roasts. Many people probably know the recipe for Greek salad, which is prepared both in restaurants and at home. The preparation technology and ingredients in this salad vary in each country. But one thing remains unchanged - its unsurpassed taste.

The range of vegetable dishes is huge. You can use them to make a delicious salad, side dish, or bake with fish, mushrooms or meat. Without vegetables it is impossible to make any hot or cold dish. You can also combine different cereals with them, such as rice or buckwheat, or you can boil pasta, spaghetti or noodles with vegetables. In addition, a person who is fasting or dieting can prepare a simple and dietary delicacy from vegetables. Moreover, not only Lenten treats and salads are prepared from them, but also quite complex hot dishes.

There are a lot of recipes for festive table treats on the Internet. On the World Wide Web you can find not only classic recipes, but also the most unusual and original ones, such as Frenchoza with vegetables. You can always add some ingredients to the dish at your discretion and delight your loved ones or invitees.

It is not recommended to wash frozen vegetables. It is advisable, before you start cooking something from them, to dip the freshly frozen product into boiling water with added salt, and then cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on the type of vegetable.

After the vegetables are peeled, they are usually chopped or grated. If you use young vegetables, you can boil, stew or fry them without cutting them into pieces. Some housewives believe that the taste of the dish is not affected by the quality and correctness of cutting. This is not entirely true. All recipes usually indicate exactly how to chop the vegetables. The taste of the prepared food directly depends on the correct cutting. The fact is that each type of product requires different cooking times and a certain amount of grinding. If you do not comply with any of the conditions, then in the end the dish will not turn out as intended in the recipe. When a housewife cooks vegetables for too long, the finished dish may not look entirely aesthetically pleasing.

A person who eats rationally and balancedly, who supplies the body with delicious vegetable dishes, will get sick less. His organs will receive vitamins and minerals that are so necessary for everyone. Eat healthy and healthy every day!

How to choose?

How to choose the right vegetables? Many people ask this question, since the range of vegetable crops in markets and supermarkets is huge. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to make a choice in favor of one vegetable or another.

Many people know that not all vegetables sold in the store are healthy. It is difficult for a person inexperienced in this matter to distinguish a vegetable that was grown without the use of chemicals from a product with “chemicals” and GMOs. Alas, today it is very difficult to find completely harmless vegetable crops. If a person does not live in a village or does not have a garden plot with vegetables, then he has to purchase these products at the market or in a store.

Enterprising vegetable growers today treat vegetable seedlings with toxic substances (pesticides) so that they can resist various diseases, as well as as weed control. Everyone knows about the dangers of pesticides for the human body. However, this fact does not bother the owners of vegetable plantations at all, since their primary goal is to reduce the cost of production and make a profit.

What are the criteria for choosing good vegetables?

1. Try not to buy vegetables whose size is significantly larger than natural, or ideally even and smooth specimens.
2. Resist the temptation to buy very brightly colored vegetables that have thick leaves.
3. If the products do not have the smell characteristic of a particular vegetable, then they have been treated with harmful chemicals. Fresh and natural vegetables should have flavor.
4. Buy those vegetables that are in season now. It is advisable that they be grown within your region or at least the closest one. To store overseas or imported vegetables, strong chemical treatment is used, since the products must be transported from afar.
5. Ask the seller to present the appropriate certificate of product quality, which should indicate in black and white in which region the vegetable crop was grown, the date of harvest and the day it arrived on the store or market counter.
6. If you buy a vegetable in a supermarket where you have access to scales, you can independently weigh several types of the same vegetable. After this, you can choose the vegetable that will weigh a little less, since a large product may contain more pesticides.
7. When purchasing potatoes, remember that they can absorb various chemicals quite quickly. When buying this vegetable at the market, pierce it with your fingernail. If you hear a crackling sound after this, it means the potatoes do not contain nitrates or chemicals.
8. There should be no inclusions or spots on the outside of the carrots. It is advisable to purchase a vegetable whose color is not very bright and whose size is not too large. If you come across a huge carrot, then most likely it was processed and grown using chemical fertilizers.

When purchasing fresh cucumbers or tomatoes in winter, remember that these vegetables may be waxed. For this reason, always remove the skin from these vegetables to reduce the risk of harmful substances entering your body. Pay attention to the cucumber tail. If it is sluggish or inelastic, and the vegetable itself is soft, then it is better to refuse such a purchase.

Contraindications and harm

Alas, some vegetables have contraindications for consumption, and in some cases they can be harmful.

When not to eat vegetables:

1. For hyperacid gastritis, gastroenterocolitis and ulcers. For people diagnosed with this disease, doctors do not recommend eating the following types of fresh vegetables: zucchini, white cabbage, tomatoes, sweet and bitter peppers, carrots, radishes, radishes and cucumbers.
2. People with diabetes and obesity, as well as colitis, are not advised to eat potato and beet tubers.
3. People with liver and kidney problems should not eat raw onions.
4. If you have photodermatosis, you should not eat parsnips.
5. If you have tuberculosis and phosphaturia, you should not eat fresh lettuce leaves.
6. Patients with anacid gastritis should avoid dishes with pumpkin.
7. People with gout and nephritis should not eat spinach.
8. Pregnant women should not eat dishes that contain fresh sprigs of parsley, dill or celery. Also, expectant mothers should not add cumin to food or baked goods, so as not to provoke a miscarriage.

It is worth remembering that vegetables with a large number of harmful chemicals contain pesticides that are dangerous to the human body and can greatly harm health. Moreover, this “chemistry” can not only provoke short-term poisoning, but in the future a person’s health will be greatly undermined. Due to the large accumulation of pesticides, the body will slowly receive a dose of toxic substances, and the immune system will suffer greatly from this.

Growing

To grow a large harvest with your own hands at the dacha, you first need to learn a few secrets of growing vegetables and tips from experienced gardeners.

To get a good harvest of vegetable crops, you first need to decide on the planting location. Then you need to prepare the seeds. It is necessary to select only good specimens of seeds so that they germinate and produce good seedlings. Moreover, this recommendation applies to absolutely any vegetable. You can buy ready-made seeds at a specialty store, or you can collect them yourself.

Vegetable seed preparation technology:

1. Soaking stage. At the initial stage, it is necessary to immerse the selected seeds for some time in a container with clean and cold water. You can also add a few grains of manganese to the liquid. This will help neutralize all pathogenic bacteria and saturate the planting materials with useful substances.
2. Hardening stage. At this stage, the raw materials must be wrapped in wet gauze and left on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in a cold cellar for 4 to 6 hours. Then the seeds need to be transferred to a warmer room, the temperature of which does not exceed 20-25 ° C for 12-15 hours, and in some cases for a longer time.
3. Germination. Then you need to wait for the first sprouts to appear from the seeds. It is necessary to ensure that the fabric is damp. After this, the sprouted seeds are carefully planted by hand or using tweezers, first in small molds with soil, and when the seedlings grow to the required size, they are transplanted into open ground or into a greenhouse.

This method of seed preparation can significantly increase the yield.

In addition to seeds, it is also necessary to prepare the soil for planting. It must be cleared of last year's leaves, dry roots, branches and excess debris. Then the soil must be fertilized with special fertilizers, which are sold in the store. If you want to check the quality of the soil, you can buy a special test that will determine the presence of useful nutrients in the soil.

Storing vegetables

After the entire harvest is harvested at the end of summer, it is necessary to take care of where to store it and create the appropriate conditions. An empty cellar or basement must be dried and ventilated.

Fresh food in small quantities can be stored at home on the balcony or in the kitchen in the refrigerator. For these purposes, the unit has a special compartment for vegetables. Manufacturers specially thought through all the nuances of storage and created the appropriate temperature and ventilation in the vegetable compartment of the unit. However, it will not be possible to store a fairly large amount of harvest in one refrigerator. For these purposes, it is necessary to choose a larger room.

If you have a basement or cellar, you can winterize your crops there. In this case, all the necessary conditions must be created in this room so that the vegetables do not freeze or rot. These points need to be thought through before the products end up in storage.

An important condition for storing vegetables for the winter is maintaining the required temperature and humidity. A sharp decrease or, conversely, increase in temperature will cause condensation to form in the room, as well as on the fruit.

High humidity can provoke the appearance of fungal diseases, which will lead to spoilage of potatoes and other crops. If groundwater comes into the cellar in the fall or winter, then vegetables cannot be stored in such a place. It is advisable to build a basement for storing vegetables in an elevated place where water cannot reach. In this case, it will be possible to store the harvest until spring.

In the winter season, the storage temperature of vegetables should not be less than -2 ° C, but not higher than +10 ° C at a relative air humidity of 80% -90%. As a special container, you can buy boxes for storing vegetables made of plastic, or you can use a basket for the balcony.

These are all the tricks and secrets of storing vegetables. Do not forget that sprouts will appear on potatoes stored in the cellar from time to time and must be removed. Periodically ventilate the room and check the crop for rotten specimens that need to be thrown away. In this case, you can store vegetables all winter without damage.

Vegetables are the succulent parts of plants that are used in human nutrition in fresh and processed form.

Without this real gift of nature it is impossible to imagine modern cooking. Humans eat about 1,200 varieties of vegetable plants, differing in taste, nutritional value and chemical composition.

To prepare vegetable dishes, fruits, roots, tubers, heads of cabbage, bulbs, leaves, inflorescences, seeds, and young shoots of plants are used.

Types of vegetables

– turnips, rutabaga, radish, horseradish, radishes, parsnips, celery, parsley, etc.

Grain vegetables - corn.

Dessert vegetables - rhubarb, asparagus, artichoke.

Vegetables belongs to the first place in the system. Biologically active substances contained in vegetable plants have a beneficial effect on the human body. Vegetables are the main component. Low calorie content makes vegetable dishes an integral part.

Vegetables presented on store shelves in a huge assortment. Fresh, canned, frozen and dried vegetable products are on sale.