Choosing Vegetables And Fruits

FACS Standards 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4, 8.5.5, 8.5.6, 8.5.7Kowtaluk, Helen and Orphanos Kopan, Alice. Food For Today. McGraw Hill-Glencoe. 2004.

Nutrients in vegetables and Fruits• Low in fat and sodium and have no cholesterol• High in carbohydrates, micro-nutrients, including

antioxidants – substances that may lower risk of some cancers and heart disease

• Provide Vitamin C – citrus fruits, kiwifruit, strawberries, cantaloupe, cabbage, potatoes

• Vitamin E – apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, cruciferous vegetables – bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, rutabagas, turnips and their greens

• Beta carotene – body uses this phytochemical to make vitamin A; yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, cruciferous vegetables

Types of Vegetables

• Roots, stems, leaves, seeds, flowers, bulbs, and tubers

Roots• Store plant’s food supply and send nutrients and

moisture to the rest of the plant

Stems

Leaves

• Plant’s manufacturing area; through photosynthesis, turn sunlight, CO2, and H2O into high-energy carbohydrates

Seeds• High in carbohydrates and other nutrients because

they are part of the plant from which new plants grow

Flowers

Bulbs• Made of fleshy leaves surrounding part of

stem

Tubers• Underground stem that stores nutrients

Fruits

Types of Fruits

• Melons – cantaloupe to casaba

Citrus Fruits

Berries

Apples and Pears

Drupes

• Fruits with a central pit enclosing a single seed

Tropical Fruits

Buying Fresh Produce

• Inspect produce carefully• Avoid produce that looks wilted, shriveled,

bruised, or decayed• Buy by weight• Buy only what you can store and use• Cook down from original volume

Seasonal Produce

• Some produce available year-round• During season when plentiful, prices down and

quality up• When try to purchase product off-season, price

higher

Ripeness

• Mature fruits – reach full size and color; not always ripe when harvested

• Ripe fruits – tender fruit with pleasant aroma and fully developed flavor

• Test for ripeness – press gently – ripe fruit will give slightly

Storing Fresh Produce

• Unless dirty, do not wash until you are ready to use it

• If you have to wash it before storage, dry thoroughly to avoid spoilage

• Unripe fruits – for faster ripening – place in brown paper bag at room temperature; for slower ripening - refrigerate

• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions – cool, dry, dark place – 450 – 500 F; in refrigerator, onions and sweet potatoes mold and decay and potatoes will change as their starch turns to sugar; if must store potatoes and onions at room temperature, buy only what can use in short time

• Other fruits and vegetables – refrigerate in crisper section or in brown paper bag

Convenience Vegetables And Fruits• Canned and frozen stored longer than fresh and can

be prepared quickly; often cost less; provide similar amounts of vitamins and minerals

• Juices – convenient and refreshing; to be labeled juice must be 100% juice; products not pure juice must be labeled as “fruit drink”

Quick & Easy Convenience Fruits

• Purée canned fruit and serve over Angel Food cake for quick, low-fat dessert

• Thaw frozen fruit only partially to keep fruit firm• Dried fruits are chewy and sweet – concentrated

source of energy