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New to Vegetables? Then start with these

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Today, despite the constant bombardment of messages stating the benefits of consuming vegetables, there are persons that still do not consume as much as 2 servings of vegetables a day. Bear in mind, 1 serving of vegetables is not that much (see photo below, each vegetable illustrates 1 serving).

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Nevertheless, there are many ways to sneak this nutritive food group into ones diet. It is often best to take the bold step and experiment with the various types of vegetables out there.

Vegetables can be grouped into many categories using multiple base factors e.g. colour, calorie content etc., getting use to the various textures, tastes, preparation methods and vegetable combinations is one way persons will know if they truly like a vegetable or vegetable combination.  I must admit, there are vegetables I do not enjoy and avoid, they are; brussel sprouts, mustard greens and bitter gourd. These have a bitter taste and I simply cannot enjoy them, no matter the mode of preparation.

To vegetable newbies, I say try selecting vegetables with a high water content ( Click here for a qualitative list ). This is often a good place to start because these often have a mild taste that is tolerable and can be eaten raw or cooked. These tend to be fibre rich despite being low in calories, high in water content and contain variable levels of micro-nutrients. Consume two servings working your way up to 5 vegetables servings, within the category per day. Then branch out into those with stronger flavours e.g dark green leafy vegetables- spinach, watercress, patchoi (bac choi) and purple vegetables- purple cabbage, eggplant etc

Here are my starter picks:

1) Christophene or Chayote

132grams (g) uncooked christophene conatins about 93% of its weight in water. It is a.member of the squash family, and is classed as a vegetable-fruit (because of the seed). It is oblong and  pear shaped, with a rough skin that is mild to dark green. The flesh is pale green to colourless and has a mild taste that is comparable to zucchini  or cucumber. There is a single seed and the flesh can be consumed in many ways -raw or cooked. 

Simple salad recipe:
1 cup christophene, peeled and thinly sliced, lengthwise. Add 1-2 Tbsp peanut oil, pinch of salt, black pepper, 1tsp garlic and onion powder and herbs of choice e.g chopped chives, shadon beni, fresh or dried basil. Toss and eat as a salad or side dish with meals.
Christophene can be stir-fried and served with brown rice or whole grain pasta.
Heat 1 Tbsp peanut oil in a pot or wok; add 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1tsp ground ginger and 1tsp cinnamon. Stir and add 1 cup christophene, peeled and thinly sliced, lengthwise. Stir until well combined; add 2 tsp black bean and 1tsp oyster sauce. Stir and serve. Add salt, black or chilli pepper if desired.
For more nutrition information  go to nutritiondata.com: raw and cooked

2) Tomatoes 

Tomatoes water content ranges from 80- 93% or even higher per 100g of edible flesh. The water content does diminish depending on how it is prepared and how much salt is added. Taste-wise, the darker the shade of red, the more intense the flavour appears to be. Yellow and orange tomatoes, tend to have a mild taste. Regardless, tomatoes are best served raw, but studies have shown that the anti-carcinogenic properties are activated when the vegetable-fruit is cooked. For more nutrition information  go to nutritiondata.com: raw, cooked and dried

3) Cucumbers

Cucumbers eaten without the skin is more tolerable to persons on therapeutic diets e.g. renal diet. Outside of that cucumbers have a strong odour but the taste is very mild. They are best consumed raw for the nutritive properties (low-calorie, rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium,   and fibre) but can be consumed cooked or pickled. Sliced cucumbers sprinkled with a pinch or salt and black pepper can be a great side dish to most rice based dishes. Cucumbers have been known to aid in lowering blood pressure due to its potassium content along with containing a number of disease-fighting antioxidant compounds, like tannins and flavonoids, says   Michelle Dudash,  Registered Dietitian and Chef Consultant. In the homoeopathy lifestyle, cucumbers are a coolant or an alkaline food,  "their moist flesh makes them cool to the touch and they contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, two natural compounds that can help prevent water retention" says Dr Andrew Weil M.D, Health Advisor. For more nutrition information  go to nutritiondata.com: raw.  

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4) Lettuce- Iceberg

Iceberg lettuce is most commonly consumed because the price attached and crisp texture. It is no surprise that iceberg lettuce is cheap compared to romaine and arugula.  The pale green hue, comes off non threatening to many non-veggie lovers along with the low calorie and minimal vitamins and fibre contents.  Regardless, iceberg lettuce has a mild and slight 'leafy' taste compared to other salad greens. One bonus of iceberg, lacking from other lettuce varieties is the high water content. This component allows iceberg to mix well with other food items without contributing an overpowering flavour, for this reason adding iceberg lettuce to salads can help eliminate the bitterness of the leaf lettuce, e.g romaine, watercress etc.  Bear in mind, iceberg lettuce can have a pale to dark green hue.  For more nutrition information visit nutritiondata.com: raw.  

Other vegetables with high water contents that could be included into the diet easily are:
Cabbage- green (93% water) & purple (92% water)
Cauliflower (92% water)
Broccoli (91% water)
Carrots (87% water)
Sweet peppers (92% water)
For more


NOTE: To the botanist cucumbers, tomatoes & christophene are classified as fruits because they contain seeds but I in the culinary sense they are vegetables because of their low-sugar content compared to traditional fruits.

Hidden Sources of Dietary Sodium

If you consume more than three of these products daily then chances are, you are consuming more sodium than needed. Sodium is one of the minerals that is easily consumed in excess, due to its saturated presence in processed foods. Sodium has an essential role within the manufacturing process and thus it is often challenging for manufactures to avoid using sodium sources during the preparation and packaging of food products. This is why, reading food labels and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables are essential to managing your sodium intake.
NOTE: Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium, and the majority are low in sodium; potassium when consumed, it serves as a contra-indicator to sodium's effect within the body.
Recommendation: The average 2 000- 2 500 calorie diet requires 1 5000 - 2 400 mg of sodium per day.
Bottom line on hidden food sources of sodium is to check your labels and choose products with less than 140 mg per serving


#1 SEAFOOD

Seafood is good for you — prepared in a healthy way, seafood can help lower cholesterol, which in turn helps lower blood pressure. But you need to choose your seafood wisely, as options like shellfish and canned tuna fish are high in sodium. 3 oz of canned tuna has 300 mg of sodium, and 3 oz of fresh shrimp has 190 mg. Dietary Suggestion:
Select canned fish in water or oil, skip those in brine. Better, seafood choices include fresh tuna, salmon, halibut, and haddock.

 #2 CANNED VEGETABLES & INSTANT SOUPS

Anything in a can could be a sodium bomb. Check all those canned food labels and choose products with less sodium per serving. Some canned and instant soups may contain up to 1,300 mg of sodium.
Dietary Suggestion:
Ditch the canned version of the vegetables and  try to get your vegetables fresh from your produce section in the supermarket or market vendor. A half-cup of freshly cooked carrots has only 52 mg of sodium and a cup of green or white beans has only 4 mg.
As for the soup,  do not add all of the seasoning packet found in the ramen/instant noodles. On the other hand, you can make your own soup using low-sodium broth and fresh ingredients.

#3 VEGETABLE JUICES
Even a healthy-sounding option like vegetable juice can be high in sodium. That is why reading the food label a.k.a the Nutrition Facts label is a step that should not be missed whilst  food shopping. Sodium content is listed per serving size; to be considered a low-sodium serving, it should read 140 mg less. Even a can of tomato juice can be a mini-sodium bomb at 660 mg.
Dietary Suggestion: 
Squeeze your own fresh vegetable juice — a small tomato has only 11 mg of sodium.

#4 BREAKFAST CEREALS & PACKAGE GRAINS
Cereals and other processed foods account for about 75% of  most individuals sodium intake. One cup of cornflakes can have 300 mg of sodium; depending on the brand. Other processed breakfast foods are even worse.  When it comes to breads, rolls, and other grains, once again, you need to read the labels to curb your sodium intake. Don't assume that all grains are the same.
Here are some facts, biscuit and pancake mixes can have up to 800 mg  of sodium per serving. Whilst, the sodium in a cup of prepared baking mix could be as high as 1,500 mg. One flour tortilla wrap can contain 550 mg of sodium
Dietary Suggestion:
Make pancakes, waffles and biscuits from scratch using low-sodium baking powder and baking soda.
Choose more whole grained versions of the breakfast cereals, or simply replace them with the unprocessed versions- e.g Steel cut oats, Museli, barley amongst others. Choose plain corn tortillas instead of white flour tortillas, these often contain no more than 30 mg of sodium.

Check out the original article and  more on the following Flavour Packets' and Condiments, Deli Meats, Frozen Meals, Spaghetti Sauces and Dairy Products

Tropical Fruit: Pomerac or Rose Apple

Small Pomerac

The Pomerac (Rose Apple) fruit is oblong or pear shaped with a dark red skin or light red/pinkish skin and white flesh. The flesh has a semi crisp but smooth texture. Despite, the firm feel, the outer skin of the pomerac is very delicate and bruises easily. Post-harvest, the fruit can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 days. (Sankat, C.K,  et. al. 1999)  Unlike, other tropical fruits the ripe fruit does not have a strong aroma. The fruit can be consumed raw when ripe or in other ways such as fermented, cooked, pickled and candied. Disclaimer: I do not like cooked fruit with the exception of pineapple so I would dare not eat this in the cooked state. 

Inside flesh of a Pomerac

The low caloric value and low carbohydrate content (see Table1. below for more) accounts for the pomerac's mild to watery to tart taste; it is rare to find one that is sweet. Generally, those with dark red skins tend to have the tartest flavour, whilst those with the lighter/pinkish skin tends to be watery or bland.

Edible Portion of the plant:

• Flesh of the fruit
• Flower of the tree
• Young leaves and shoots

The fruit is found in many Tropical territories such as South East Asia, parts of South America and within the Caribbean. They are in season from May to June, August to September and or November to December, depending on the country. (Morton, J. 1987)

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In some countries, various parts of the plant are used in alternative medicine because of its homoeopathic benefits. E.x

• Diuretic and tonic for the brain and liver - parts of India 

• A treatment for thrush - Spice Islands

• A cracked tongue - Malaysia

• Febrifuge (reducing fever) - Cambodia

• Treating constipation, diabetes, coughs and headaches - Brazil

Read more about the homoeopathic uses: Botanical-Online and  Hort-Purdue

* Values Not stated
NOTES:
All values and weight are for 100 grams of  the edible portion of fruit
* Honeydew melon: 3/4 cup, diced equals about 13 pieces   * Cantaloupe melon: 1/8 wedge of large melon SOURCE: The Nutrient Data Laboratory, USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 > last accessed 10 th  June 2012

In all, whether you call it pomerac or rose apple, it is a great fruit for persons interested in losing weight, persons on a diabetic/ low glycaemic diet amongst others. Consuming 4 pomeracs (small) provides about 100 calories, 100 % Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C, 10% DV calcium amongst others. Therefore, it is fair to say pomeracs provide more nutritional value than most imported fruits e.g. apple or pear (see table above). When in season, please do not be afraid to choose the locally grown and harvested pomeracs over the imported fruits.
* I used the spelling pomerac but it could also be spelled like pommerac.

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Thank you for reading! 

Leave a ⓒⓞⓜⓜⓔⓝⓣ below.

Reference:
Morton, J. 1987. Malay Apple. p. 378–381. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.
Sankat,C.K., Basanta, A,Maharaj, V. 1999. Light mediated red colour degradation of the pomerac(Syzygium malaccense) in refrigerated storage. p. 253–257. Postharvest Biology and Technology 18 (2000) 

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