Vegetable

Some Common Vegetables

The noun vegetable means an edible plant or part of a plant, but usually excludes seeds and most sweet fruit. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant. Some vegetables can be consumed raw, some may be eaten cooked, and some must be cooked in order to be edible. Vegetables are most often cooked in savory or salty dishes. However, a few vegetables are often used in desserts and other sweet dishes.

We often hear that people say that they are busy with their own life. It is very difficult to find a person who is taking good care of his intake of food or say nutrition diet due to very busy schedule. It is prime duty of every person to take good care of his health and living a better life. Vegetables provide good amount of energy and other requirements for the day.

Nearly 100 different types of vegetable comprising both local and exotic type are grown in Bangladesh. Vegetable is important for nutritional, financial, and food security in Bangladesh. However, the availability of vegetable is only about 1/5th of the recommended requirement of 200 g/person/day.

Importance of Vegetables

Eating enough vegetables each day is important to help you maintain our health. Consuming enough vegetables, while staying within your caloric needs. Along with tasting great, vegetables are low in calories and fat and contain no cholesterol and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

• Vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins A, E and C, fiber, folic acid and potassium. Potassium is essential in controlling blood pressure. Folic acid helps form red blood cells in the body. Vitamin A is essential for skin and eye health. Vitamin C helps the body heal cuts and wounds and keeps gums and teeth healthy. Vitamin E guards vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.

• Vegetables provide fiber, which aids in digestion. Fiber soaks up fluid and expands as it passes through the digestive system. This action calms an irritable bowel and provides relief from constipation. The softening and bulking action of the insoluble fiber in vegetables also prevents diverticulitis and diverticulitis by decreasing pressure within the intestinal tract.

• People who eat more vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease or stroke. 
• Eating vegetables can reduce your risk for diabetes, prevent kidney stones and decrease or prevent bone loss. Vegetables also are a great low-calorie substitute for high-calorie foods or snacks.

• Eating lots of vegetables as part of a low-fat, high-fiber diet may help reduce blood pressure, manage weight, and reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

Classification of Vegetables

Vegetables fit into nine major family groups. These are:

1. Amaryllidaceae
2. Brassicaceae 
3. Chenopodiaceae 
4. Compositae 
5. Cucurbitaceae 
6. Gramineae
7. Leguminosae 
8. Solanaceae 
9. Umbelliferae