Fruits and Veggies

5 A Day: the Color Way

 5-a-day notes
Answer these questions in your notebook from
the presentation.

1. What are the nutrients and health benefits

in each of the 5 colors of fruits and
vegetables?
2. Name two sources each of vitamins C & E?
3. What is the difference between fruits and
vegetables?
4. What is the difference in scientists’ and
cooks’ definitions of fruits and vegetables?

5. Write down each of the 8 types of

vegetables and at least one
example of each.
 5-a-day notes (cont.)
Answer these questions in your notebook from
the presentation.

6. Write down a buying and a storage tip for

vegetables.
7. Which convenience fruit or veggie do you
eat most often? What solution does the
presentation offer for that type?
8. Identify and define the 6 cutting
techniques described in the presentation.
9. Identify & define the 4 cooking methods
described for fruit.
10. Identify & define the 6 cooking
methods described for vegetables.
 Varying our colors
 Important to eat a variety each day
 The different colors provide us with
different nutrients
 Helps maintain a healthy weight, if
used as part of a low fat diet
 Protects against aging
 Reduces the risk of cancer and heart
disease.
 Red
 Contains the following nutrients:
 Lycopene - An antioxidant that helps reduce
the risk of several types of cancer.
 Anthocyanins - An anti-inflammatory that
helps protect blood health, the nervous system,
and prevent diabetes
 Promotes a healthy heart
 Memory function
 Lowers risk of some cancers
 Urinary tract health
 Yellow/Orange
 Contain the following nutrients:
 Beta-carotene – an antioxidant that helps reduce the
risk of cancer, heart disease, maintains eyesight, and
helps boost the immune system.
 Bioflavonoids – work with vitamin C to help reduce the
risk of cancer, strengthen bones, teeth, heal wounds,
keep skin healthy, and lower the risk of heart attacks.
 Helps maintain:
 A healthy heart
 Vision health
 A healthy immune system
 White
 Contains the following nutrient:
 Allicin - which helps control blood pressure and
cholesterol and seems to increase the body's
ability to fight infection.
 Helps maintain:
 A healthy heart
 Healthy cholesterol levels
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Green
 Contains the following nutrients:
 Lutein – an antioxidant that helps reduce the
risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
 Indoles – helps to reduce the risk of breast
and prostate cancer.
 Helps maintain:
 Vision health
 A lower risk of some cancers
 Strong bones and teeth
 Blue/Purple
 Contains the following nutrients:
 Anthocyanins & phenols - antioxidants that
can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart
disease, and Alzheimer's and promote healthy
aging.
 Helps maintain:
 A lower risk of cancer
 Urinary tract health
 Memory function
 Healthy aging
 Nutrients in Fruits and
Vegetables
 Low in fat and sodium
 High in carbohydrates
 High in antioxidants
 Vitamin C: citrus fruits, but also kiwi,
strawberries, cantaloupe, cabbage, and potatoes
 Vitamin E: apples and warm-weather fruits-
apricots, nectarines, peaches, and cruciferous
vegetables (in the cabbage family- help reduce
risk of cancer)
 Beta Carotene (makes Vitamin A): yellow or
orange vegetables, cruciferous vegetables
 Is it a fruit or vegetable?
Botanically-speaking (science of plants)
 Fruits are reproductive organs
(ripened ovaries containing one or
many seeds),
 Vegetables are vegetative organs
which sustain the plant.
 Since “vegetable” is not a botanical
term, vegetables can also include:
 leaves (lettuce),
 stems (asparagus),
 roots (carrots),
 flowers (broccoli),
 bulbs (garlic),
 seeds (peas & beans),
 botanical fruits such as cucumbers,
squash, pumpkins, & capsicums
(peppers)
Is it a fruit or vegetable?
Culinary-perspective
Here is where it gets tricky
 If it is the fruit of the
plant & has seeds, it is a
fruit.
 However, fruits, such as
tomatoes & cucumbers,
used in savoury cooking
are generally referred to
as vegetables.
Types of Vegetables
 Fruits: fruit of the plant
 Cucumbers, eggplant,
tomatoes
 Roots: underground
plant parts
 Carrots, beets, turnips
Types of Vegetables
 Stems: edible main
structure of plants
 Celery, asparagus
 Tubers: large underground
stem that stores nutrients
 Potatoes
Types of Vegetables
 Leaves: plant’s manufacturing
areas
 Spinach, lettuce, and kale
 Bulbs: layers or fleshy leaves
surround part of the stem
 Onions and garlic
Types of Vegetables
 Seeds: a small embryonic
plant enclosed in a seed coat
 Corns, beans, and peas
 Flowers: flower of the plant,
with stem, where seeds are
made.
 Broccoli and cauliflower
 Buying and Storing
buying
 Inspect carefully
 Look for bright color and
crispness
 Test for ripeness: press
gently, if it gives slightly,
it is ripe
 For best quality buy in
season
 Avoid decay and bruising
storing
 Unripe fruits: place in
a paper bag at room
temperature
 Do not line bottom of
drawers with paper
towels!!!! It causes
molding.
 Potatoes and onions:
cool, dark, dry place
 Refrigerate in crisper
of fridge
 Punch holes in plastic
bags
Convenience Fruits and Veggies

 Canned, Frozen, and Dried

Challenges Solutions
Canned fruits are often Look for fruits packed in natural
high in added sugar. juice instead of sugar syrup.

Canned vegetables are Look for low-sodium varieties.

often high in sodium. Drain the liquid from the
vegetables before heating.
Some frozen vegetable are Buy frozen vegetables in bags.
relatively expensive. Buy plain vegetables without
sauces and other extras. Add
your own special touches, such
as a sprinkling of herbs.
 Washing produce

 Wash to remove dirt,

pesticides, and
pathogens
 Wash just before use
 Wash, even if you are
going to peel
 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Chiffonade: Finely cut strips or

ribbons or leafy vegetables or herbs.
 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Julienne: To cut into narrow, match-

like sticks
 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Mince: to cut into tiny pieces (garlic)

 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Chop: to cut foods into pieces; a

larger cut than dice or mince and not
uniform
 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Dice: a cube, usually of a vegetable,

that ranges from ¼ inch to ¾ inch
square
 Cutting Fresh Produce

 Slice: a thin, flat piece cut from

something
 Cooking Fruits

 Poaching or Stewing: cooking fruit

in enough liquid to cover it- aims to
keep the shape of the fruit
 Fruit Sauces: cooking fruit into a
liquid (apples, plums, pears)
 Cooking Fruits

 Baking: Most often apples, need to

be cored, often seasoned before
baking
 Microwaving: cooks quickly, keeps
fresh flavor and shape, be careful not
to overcook
Cooking Vegetables
 Blanche: to
slightly precook
vegetables to kill
enzymes before
freezing
 Saute: to cook in a
pan with a small
amount of hot fat.
Cooking Vegetables
 Boil: To cook in
water or liquid at a
bubbling point
 Simmer: to cook in
a liquid just below
boiling point
Cooking Vegetables
 Steam: to cook over
boiling water-
minimizes vitamin
loss. Healthiest way to
cook vegetables.
 Shock: Place cooked
vegetable in ice-cold
water to keep the
bright color and
crispness
 References
 http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/seniors/nutrition/
nutritionarchive/nutrition2004nov.htm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable
 http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
 http://www.ams.usda.gov/howtobuy/fveg.htm