Vegetables

When a plant in whole or a part of them is edible, it is often called vegetable. The cultivation of these plants, on many occasions is done only for the purpose of human food, and also for animals during the breeding process.

To be called vegetables, it's necessary that the color of the leaves is green, although there are some foods that are considered as vegetables but are not characterized by having that color: the reason for the need for color is the chlorophyll pigment, which varies according to the characteristics of the food and explains the variation in greenish tones .

The vegetables, actually, belong to the most comprehensive group of vegetables, being this broader and including there all the foods that are produced in a garden.

The vegetable production in the world is very important, and they represent the second most produced food group in the world, after cereals. The nutritional value of vegetables is remarkable, and although it contains a low value of protein, fat and caloric content, it has a huge amount of vitamins (A and C) and fiber: Vegetables are 80% water anyway.

In any case, the vegetables should be washed with plenty of water before eating, and placed in a suitably clean container in order to make sure that all possible germs present in the vegetables have been eliminated, which accumulate during the growth of the plant. The presence of microorganisms in poorly washed vegetables and uncooked foods, generates the appearance of numerous diseases such as colitis waves earthworms.

The vegetables They are usually incorporated into the diet in its rawest form, at most seasoned with some type of oil or vinegar: this food is called a salad, and there are different types including many species of vegetables. In any case, they admit other types of cuisine such as steam, roasted or even fried: some even blend vegetables to be able to consume them in liquid form.

For the culinary customs of the West, vegetables are often somewhat withdrawn in terms of attractiveness in taste For many people, especially children: the inclusion of vegetables from the first meals is essential to instill the importance of eating this kind of food.

For different reasons it is that some people choose to have a diet in which they do not eat products derived from animals, and then they follow a diet based purely on vegetables: this diet is called a vegetarian diet.

The consumption of vegetables contributes a lot of micronutrients that also act as antioxidants, and that protect those who consume them from some chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, such as cancer and integrity of most body tissues. This is why they are grouped in the second fundamental level of the food pyramid.