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As Health Food
Green Vegetables
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Green Leaf Lettuce
The nutritional value of lettuce varies with the variety. Lettuce in general provides small amounts of dietary fiber, some carbohydrates, a little protein and a trace of fat. Its most important nutrients are vitamin A and potassium. The vitamin A comes from beta carotene, whose yellow-orange is hidden by green chlorophyll pigments. Beta carotene, of course, is converted to vitamin A in the human body. The darker green, the more beta carotene.
According to the American Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, foods rich in vitamin A and C (antioxidants) offer protection against some forms of cancer. Along with other phytochemical, antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer of the respiratory system and intestinal tract.
Lettuce, except iceberg, is also a moderately good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron and copper. The spine and ribs provide dietary fiber, while vitamins and minerals are concentrated in the delicate leaf portion.
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Watercress is probably best known as a classic ingredient
for soup. But its distinctive mustardy flavour can help enrich a wide
range of dishes.
Watercress combines particularly well with strong flavours such as
garlic, chilli, soy, ginger and onion, and here its pungency is mellowed.
Watercress is brimming with beta-carotene and vitamin A equivalents -
which as well as being important antioxidants are also needed for healthy
skin and eyes - containing more than four times the amount of the other
“wonder” foods.
Watercress contains greater quantities of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, types
of carotenoids that act as antioxidants, meaning they can mop up
potentially damaging free radicals. Quercetin, a type of flavonoid and a
powerful antioxidant, is also found in greater quantities in watercress
than broccoli and tomatoes.
Medicinal Use: Spring regimen, gall- and bladder stone problems,
chronic rheumatism, blemished skin. |
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Bean Sprout (Mung)
Sprouts are rich in vitamins, minerals, Amino Acids, proteins and phytochemicals, all necessary for a germinating plant, and rich in essential nutrients for humans.
Some legumes can contain toxins, which can be reduced by soaking, sprouting and cooking (eg, stir frying). Joy Larkom, advises that to be on the safe side “one shouldn’t eat large quantities of raw legume sprouts on a regular basis, no more than about 550g (20oz) daily” (‘Salads For Small Gardens’, Hamlyn 1995).
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Cabbage
There are literally hundred of varieties of cabbage. The most popular varieties in the United States are green cabbage and bok choy. As with broccoli, cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer including colorectal cancers. Cabbage is also high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber.
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Broccoli
A member of the cabbage family and a close relative of cauliflower, broccoli packs more nutrients than any other vegetable. Broccoli contains large amounts of vitamin C and beta carotene which are important antioxidants. In the United States, broccoli has become the most favored cruciferous vegetable (cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and all forms of cabbage). Researchers have concluded that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables should be included in the diet several times a week. Consuming foods high in antioxidants can reduce the risk of some forms of cancer and heart disease. One half cup cooked broccoli contains the following nutrients as well as many other trace nutrients and
phytochemicals.
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Chinese Long Bean / Asparagus Bean
The yardlong bean is also known as the long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, snake bean, or Chinese long bean. It is known as dau gok in Cantonese, thua fak yao in Thai and kacang panjang in Malay
The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked. They are at their best when young and slender. They are sometimes cut into short sections for cooking uses. They are used in stirfries in Chinese. In Malaysian cuisine they are often stirfried with chillies and shrimp paste (sambal) or used in cooked salads
(kerabu).
Yardlong beans are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They are also a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, and a very good source for vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and manganese. However, yardlong beans are found to be very high in sodium.
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Carrot
As the name implies, carrots are brimming with beta carotene. Beta carotene is a substance that is converted to Vitamin A in the human body. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked carrots contains four times the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A in the form of protective beta carotene.
Use a vegetable brush to remove every speck of soil from carrots. Peel if desired. Raw carrots are naturally sweet, but lightly cooked carrots are even sweeter. Carrots are one of those vegetables that loses very little nutritional value during cooking. In fact, some nutrients in slightly cooked carrots are more available to the body than raw carrots. Cooking actually breaks down the tough cellular wall of carrots making some nutrients more useable to the body.
Carrots can be shredded, chopped, juiced or cooked whole. They are delicious roasted, boiled, steamed, stir-fried, grilled, and they team up beautifully with almost any vegetable companion. Carrots boost the nutritional value of soups, stews, salads and are indispensable in the stockpot. |
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Turnips, raw
The Good
This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.
The Bad
A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.
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Daikon is likewise a very important ingredient in Chinese and Korean cuisines. In China, it is used in different dishes like poon choi. Chinese people use daikon to make Mooli Cake in the Chinese New Year or for Dim sum. The cake is cooked either by frying or steaming. Daikon is often added to fishball curry, along with pig skin. In Korea, it is often pickled, and used in kimchi.
Nutrition Information - Daikon is very low in calories. A 3 ounce serving contains only 18 calories and provides 34 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Rich in vitamin C, daikon contains active enzymes that aid digestion, particularly of starchy foods. Select those that feel heavy and have lustrous skin and fresh leaves. |
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Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw
Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, although their seeds cannot be digested and pass straight through the human intestines. Today, their consumption is believed to benefit the heart. Lycopene, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, is present in tomatoes and has been found to be beneficial in preventing prostate cancer, among other things.
Tomatoes are used extensively in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, especially Italian ones. The tomato has an acidic property that is used to bring out other flavors. This same acidity makes tomatoes especially easy to preserve in home canning as tomato sauce or paste
The Good
This food is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium and Manganese.
The Bad
A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.
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Cucumber, with peel, raw
They are eaten as a vegetable, either raw, cooked, or made into pickled cucumbers. Although less nutritious than most fruit, the fresh cucumber is still a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, and also provides some dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. The pickling process removes or degrades much of the nutrient content, especially that of vitamin C.
The Good
This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium.
The Bad
A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.
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Bitter melon (Kho
Hoa)
Bitter
melons have been used in various Asian traditional
medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods,
bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people
with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes
make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a demulcent
and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely
does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and
traditional reports. |
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