III. VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

III. VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
A. Vegetables
– The foods called vegetables include:
• some fruits (e.g. tomatoes and pumpkins)
• leaves (e.g. amaranth and cabbage)
• roots (e.g. carrots and turnips)
• even stalks (e.g. celery)
• flowers (e.g. cauliflower).
• nearly all types of vegetables are eaten soon after they are harvested; and they are rarely stored for long periods (with a few exceptions such as pumpkins and other gourds).
• nearly all rich in carotene and vitamin C and contain significant amounts of calcium, iron and other minerals.
• content of B vitamins is frequently small.
• provide only a little energy and very little protein.
• content consists of indigestible residue, which adds bulk or fibre to the faeces.
• the dark green leaves contain far more carotene and vitamin C, as well as more protein, calcium and iron, than pale green leaves and other vegetables.
• An increase in the consumption of green leaves and other vegetables could play a major part in reducing vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency also supply additional calcium and vitamin C which would prevent the rare disease scurvy and perhaps also assist the healing of ulcers and wounds.
• Vitamin C from vegetables also enhances iron absorption.

B. Fruits
• The main nutritive value of fruits is their content of:
– vitamin C,
– carotene.
– very little fat or protein (except the avocado and a few others) and
– usually no starch.
– carbohydrate (present in the form of various sugars)
– much unabsorbable residue, mainly cellulose.
• The citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tangerines and limes, contain good quantities of vitamin C but little carotene.
• Papayas, mangoes and Cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana) contain both carotene and vitamin C.
• The avocado is rich in fat