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Vegetable

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Food and agriculture;
Plants

   Vegetables in a Market
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   Vegetables in a Market
   Venn diagram representing the relationship between (botanical) fruits
   and vegetables. Botanical fruits that are not vegetables are culinary
   fruits.
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   Venn diagram representing the relationship between (botanical) fruits
   and vegetables. Botanical fruits that are not vegetables are culinary
   fruits.
   Tomatoes growing in a vegetable garden
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   Tomatoes growing in a vegetable garden

   Vegetable is a culinary term. Its definition has no scientific value
   and is somewhat arbitrary and subjective. All parts of herbaceous
   plants eaten as food by humans, whole or in part, are generally
   considered vegetables. Mushrooms, though belonging to the biological
   kingdom, fungi, are are also commonly considered vegetables. Though the
   exceptions are many, in general, vegetables are thought of as being
   savoury, and not sweet. Culinary fruits, nuts, grains, herbs, and
   spices are all arguably the exceptions.

   Since “vegetable” is not a botanical term, there is no contradiction in
   referring to a plant part as a fruit while also being considered a
   vegetable (see diagram at right). Given this general rule of thumb,
   vegetables can include leaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (
   carrots), flowers ( broccoli), bulbs ( garlic), seeds (peas and beans)
   and of course the botanical fruits like cucumbers, squash, pumpkins,
   and capsicums.

   The merits of this ongoing question, “is it a fruit, or is it a
   vegetable,” have even found its way before the bench of the United
   States Supreme Court which ruled unanimously in Nix v. Hedden, 1883,
   that a tomato is a vegetable even though botanically, a tomato is a
   fruit.

   Commercial production of vegetables is a branch of horticulture called
   olericulture.

Etymology

   The vegetable is also used as a literary term for any plant: vegetable
   matter, vegetable kingdom. It comes from Latin vegetabilis (animated)
   and from vegetare (enliven), which is derived from vegetus (active), in
   reference to the process of a plant growing. This in turn derives from
   the Proto-Indo-European base *weg- or *wog-, which is also the source
   of the English wake, meaning “not sleep.” The word vegetable was first
   recorded in print in English in the 14th century. The meaning of “plant
   grown for food” was not established until the 18th century.

Vegetables in the diet

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   Vegetables are eaten in a variety of ways as part of main meals and as
   snacks. The nutrient content of different types varies considerably.
   With the exception of pulses, vegetables provide little protein and
   fat. Vegetables contain water soluble vitamins like vitamin B and
   vitamin C, fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin A and vitamin D, and
   also contain carbohydrates and minerals.

Colour in vegetables

   The green colour of leafy vegetables is due to the presence of the
   green pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is affected by pH and changes to
   olive green in acid conditions, and bright green in alkali conditions.
   Some of the acids are released in steam during cooking, particularly if
   cooked without a cover.

   The yellow/ orange colours of fruits and vegetables are due to the
   presence of carotenoids, which are also affected by normal cooking
   processes or changes in pH.

   The red/ blue colouring of some fruits and vegetables (e.g.
   blackberries and red cabbage) are due to anthocyanins, which are
   sensitive to changes in pH. When pH is neutral, the pigments are
   purple, when acidic, red, and when alkaline, blue. These pigments are
   very water soluble.

Storage of vegetables

   Potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool, and dry place to prevent
   mold, greening and retard sprouting. Other root vegetables can be
   stored in a similar manner.

   Leafy vegetables lose moisture and vitamin C degrades rapidly during
   storage and should be stored for the minimum time in a cool place such
   as a plastic bag.

   Many root vegetables can be stored through winter in a root cellar.
   Care should be taken in understanding the properties and
   vulnerabilities of the particular roots to be stored. Many can last
   through to early spring and be nearly as nutritious as when fresh.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
