The role of fresh fruits and vegetables in human nutrition. What role do vegetables play in human nutrition?
The importance of vegetables in the human diet. There are more than 1,200 species of vegetable plants around the globe, belonging to 78 botanical families. About half of them are cultivated, and the rest grow wild.
About 70 species of vegetable plants are grown in our country. The nutritional value of vegetables is determined by their high content of easily digestible carbohydrates, organic acids, vitamins, aromatic and mineral substances, a varied combination of which determines the taste, color and smell of these healthy products. The main indicator of the quality of vegetables is the biochemical composition. They contain up to 96-97% water and, despite this, are of great importance in human nutrition. This is due to the fact that the small amount of dry matter found in vegetables contains many biologically important compounds that are required for the normal functioning of the body.
The main part of the dry matter is starch and sugar. There is a lot of starch in legumes and root vegetables; Sugars - in carrots, peas, onions. In table beets, sucrose predominates, and in cabbage, cucumbers, and pumpkins, glucose predominates. The dry matter also includes fiber, pectic nitrogenous substances, mainly proteins, and glucose.
In addition, there are organic acids - citric/malic, tartaric, oxalic, etc. They have a beneficial effect on the taste of vegetables and contribute to their better absorption. Vegetable essential oils (onion, parsley, dill) have phytoncidal properties. It is known that phytoncides have long been used in medicine: they protect humans from many infectious diseases. Vegetables are an important source of mineral salts. Parsley leaves, green peas, onions, cabbage, and parsnips are rich in phosphorus; leafy vegetables and root vegetables - potassium; lettuce, spinach, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes - iron; cauliflower, lettuce, spinach - calcium.
The high content of vitamins and their diverse composition make vegetables irreplaceable foods that play a decisive role in regulating amino acid, fat and carbohydrate metabolism in the human body. The daily requirement of an adult for various vitamins is, mg: A - 3-5, B1, B2 - 2-3, B3 - 5-10, PP - 15-25, C - 50-70, etc. To satisfy the need in vitamin C, for example, you need to eat 200 g of fresh white cabbage or 300 g of sauerkraut, 50 g of sweet pepper or parsley, 250 g of tomatoes or radishes, 70 g of dill or horseradish per day.
Carotene (provitamin A) deficiency can be compensated by 40-50 g of carrots, spinach, dill, parsley, 300 g of tomatoes or radishes, 80 g of green onions, 75 g of sorrel. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) protects the body from scurvy and anemia. Most of it is found in sweet peppers, parsley, dill, white cabbage, and cauliflower.
Vitamin A is involved in redox processes, increases the glycogen content in the muscles of the heart and liver, ensures the normal condition of the epithelium, cornea and lacrimal glands of the eyes, skin, respiratory tract, and digestive tract. The human body can fill the need for vitamin A both with vitamin A itself and with its predecessor, provitamin A (carotene). The most valuable sources of provitamin A are sweet peppers (red and green), tomatoes, pumpkin, and root vegetables - carrots.
Compounds with A-vitamin activity can accumulate in the human body and persist for up to a year. Therefore, it is very important to consume as many vegetables rich in carotene as possible during the summer season. In winter, they can be replaced with tomato puree, tomato paste and tomato juice. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is part of many enzymes that play an important role in the conversion of carbohydrates. Insufficient intake of vitamin B1 from food leads to the accumulation of toxic products; incomplete oxidation of glucose, increased content of pyruvic acid in tissues, resulting in diseases of the nervous system.
Legumes and spinach have the highest vitamin B content. A lack of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) reduces the rate of conversion of fats and carbohydrates in the human body, impairs the absorption of protein supplied with food, disrupts the ability to form glycogen in the liver, which leads to weakness, damage to the eyes and skin, and increased blood sugar.
A large amount of vitamin B2 is found in green peas, beans, Brussels sprouts, spinach, green onions, sweet peppers, and parsley root. Pea and bean pods are also rich in vitamin B6, which plays an important role for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Vitamin PP is essential for normalizing the functioning of the liver. In everyday nutrition, important sources of nicotinic acid are, first of all, tomatoes, onions, carrots, and spinach.
Vitamins of group K are necessary for normal blood clotting. They are found in spinach, cauliflower and white cabbage, and tomatoes. Vegetables contain a lot of physiologically important salts of iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. During digestion, minerals form compounds with alkaline properties. Vegetable foods help maintain a slightly alkaline blood reaction and neutralize the harmful effects of acidic substances contained in meat, bread and fats.
The inclusion of vegetables in the diet makes it harmonious and prevents the occurrence of gastrointestinal and other diseases. 2.
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The importance of vegetables in human nutrition
1. What is the importance of vegetables in human nutrition?
Vegetables are the most valuable food product. The indispensability of vegetables in nutrition is determined by the fact that they are the main suppliers of carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts, phytoncides, essential oils and dietary fiber necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
Plant food is a high-energy product. During the process of photosynthesis, plants accumulate solar energy and, through a series of chemical transformations, produce adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), which is used to synthesize their proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, storing some of them in reserve. In the human body, there is a reverse process of disintegration of the energy bonds of plant foods, due to which carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that are specific to humans are formed.
Vegetables are not only irreplaceable food products that support human vitality, but also an effective remedy recognized by folk and scientific medicine. The nutritional value and medicinal properties of vegetables are due to the presence in them of chemical substances of various composition and structure, which have a wide pharmacological spectrum of action on the body and give dishes an original taste and aroma.
Vegetable food has a predominantly alkaline reaction, and its presence in the diet establishes an optimal acid-base balance in the human body.
According to the Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Russian Federation, the daily human need for protein is 80-100 g, for carbohydrates - 400-500 g, for organic acids - 2-3 mg, for minerals - from 0.1 mg (iodine) to 6000 mg ( potassium), in vitamins - from 0.2 mg (folic acid - vitamin B 9) to 100 mg (ascorbic acid - vitamin C).
Every day a person needs about 400 g of vegetables. The scientifically based annual consumption rate of vegetables for a person, depending on the region of residence, ranges from 126 to 164 kg, including cabbage of various types - 35–55 kg, cucumbers - 10–13 kg, tomatoes - 25–32 kg, onions - 7- 10 kg, carrots - 6-10 kg, beets - 5-10 kg, eggplants - 2-5 kg, sweet peppers - 3-6 kg, green peas and vegetable beans - 3-8 kg, melons - 20-30 kg, other vegetables - 3–7 kg.
The ratio and composition of vegetables in the daily diet of the population depend on climatic conditions, place of residence, time of year, type of activity and age of the person.
2. What is included in vegetables?
Vegetables, inferior in protein and fat content to animal products, are the main supplier of carbohydrates and mineral salts. Vegetables contain biologically active substances, natural antioxidants, microelements, vitamins, dietary fiber, enzymes, and structured water. Dietary fibers are good sorbents for removing various toxins.
Vegetables are succulent foods. Fresh vegetables have a high (65–96%) water content and low (4–35%) dry matter content, most of which is soluble in water.
3. What is the role of water in plants?
Water gives vegetables freshness, juiciness, and is a solvent for many organic substances. The nutrients dissolved in it (sugars, acids, nitrogenous, mineral substances) are better absorbed by the human body. The high water content in vegetables causes their low energy value (calorie content).
Despite their high water content, vegetables are of great importance in the human diet. This is explained by the fact that a small amount of dry matter contains many biologically important compounds.
4. What is the role of carbohydrates in plants?
Carbohydrates are the most common organic compounds in plants and form the basis of plant products. Carbohydrates accumulate in roots, tubers, seeds, fruits and are then used as reserve substances. In plant products, solar energy is converted into chemical energy, and then, through a chain of reactions in the human body, it is again converted into carbon dioxide, water, glucose and free energy.
Disaccharides and polysaccharides are broken down in the human body, forming glucose and fructose. Glucose oxidation is accompanied by the formation of adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), which is a source of energy. It is this that ensures the continuity of all physiological functions, primarily higher nervous activity.
An important component of human nutrition are indigestible carbohydrates, mainly cellulose (fiber), which form the basis of plant cell walls. Fiber helps move food through the digestive tract, remove cholesterol from the body, bind certain microelements, reduce appetite, create a feeling of fullness, and normalize the activity of beneficial intestinal microflora. Lack of fiber in the diet leads to the development of obesity.
Sweet peppers, eggplant, carrots, vegetable beans, endive salad, and parsley root are rich in fiber.
5. What is the role of proteins in plants and which plants are rich in proteins?
All physiological processes occurring in a living organism are based primarily on protein metabolism. In the human body, proteins account for 15–20% of wet weight. The source of protein for humans are products of animal and plant origin.
Proteins make up the bulk of the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant and animal cells. All enzymes are proteins, proteins are antibodies that provide immunity, many hormones, proteins are part of hemoglobin and blood plasma. Proteins are polymer molecules that contain 20 different amino acids, some of which can be synthesized by the body (essential), and some must be obtained from food (essential).
The most important and most often deficient amino acids are lysine, tryptophan and methionine. Lysine in the human body is closely related to the processes of hematopoiesis and the synthesis of alkaloids. With its participation in the bones, calcium accumulates. The most lysine is found in carrots, vegetable beans, spinach, cauliflower and kohlrabi.
Tryptophan is involved in the formation of hemoglobin and serum proteins necessary for the synthesis of vitamin PP. Tryptophan is found in large quantities in the protein of vegetable beans, green peas, and beets.
Methionine is necessary for the synthesis of choline, adrenaline and other biologically active substances in the body. Its deficiency leads to metabolic disorders, primarily lipids, and is the cause of severe diseases of the stomach and liver. Methionine is found in carrots, beets, white cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, and parsley.
Of great value are specific proteins - enzymes that play the role of catalysts in the digestion process. Enzymes are preserved only in fresh vegetables. During drying, heat treatment and due to improper storage, enzymes are destroyed, so only fresh vegetables are most beneficial for humans.
The activity of peroxidase can be used to judge the general redox process in the body. This enzyme is present in most vegetables; cabbage, lettuce, radishes, radishes, and carrots are especially rich in it.
The largest amount of amylase, which accelerates the breakdown of starch, was found in vegetable beans and peas. Sucrose and raffinase stimulate the breakdown of disaccharides and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. Most of these enzymes are found in carrots and beets.
6. Which vegetables contain the most pectin substances?
Pectin substances are gelled intercellular substances consisting of high molecular weight carbohydrates. In the digestive tract, pectins are not digested or absorbed by the body, but are sorbents of toxic substances and help reduce cholesterol in the blood. Parsley (root vegetables), sweet peppers, eggplant, watermelon, and carrots contain a large amount of pectin.
7. What vitamins are contained in vegetables?
Vitamins are the most valuable components of vegetables. Vitamins accelerate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts, fats, and normalize water metabolism. The need for vitamins increases with increased physical and mental work, in winter, and during illness. The most common deficiency of vitamins C, A, B1, B2, PP, sometimes B9 and B6.
?Vitamin C participates in the exchange of nucleic acids, increases the elasticity and strength of blood vessels, the body's resistance to infectious diseases, and prevents scurvy. It has an antitoxic effect against toxic substances. Participates in hematopoiesis processes, promotes faster healing and fusion of bones. The requirement for vitamin C is 50–70 mg per day.
The richest foods in vitamin C are sweet peppers, parsley leaves, lettuce, dill, and onion leaves.
?Vitamin A(retinol) belongs to the group of fat-soluble vitamins, found in products of animal origin. Plant products contain a precursor to retinol - carotene (in the intestines, under the influence of a specific enzyme, carotene is converted into vitamin A). Vitamin A is involved in redox processes, increases the glycogen content in the muscles of the heart and liver, and ensures the normal condition of the epithelium, cornea and lacrimal glands of the eye. The need for vitamin A is provided by 3–5 mg of carotene. Spinach, parsley leaves, onions, dill, sweet peppers, tomatoes, carrots are very rich in carotene. Compounds with A-vitamin activity can accumulate in the human body during the summer and persist for up to a year.
Vegetables are a rich source of B vitamins:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is part of many enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Insufficient intake of vitamin B1 leads to the accumulation of products of incomplete oxidation of glucose in the blood and tissues and to diseases of the nervous system. The largest amount of vitamin B 1 is in vegetable peas, spinach, radishes, radishes.
Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) is part of the redox enzymes - flavoproteins. Accelerates the transformation of fats and carbohydrates in the body, enhances the accumulation of glycogen in the liver, improves protein absorption. The daily requirement is 2–2.5 mg. There is a lot of vitamin B2 in spinach (0.25%) - only two times lower than in chicken yolk, the richest source of this vitamin.
Derivatives of vitamin B 6 (teridoxine) are necessary for the transformation of amino acids. Vitamin B6 deficiency usually occurs when intestinal flora is suppressed during antibiotic treatment. Vitamin B 6 plays an important role in the functioning of the nervous system. The richest in vitamin B 6 are beans and peas.
Vitamin B 9 (folic acid) is necessary for a person when the hematopoietic system is damaged as a result of radiation sickness, poisoning, or the use of medications, especially antibiotics. Sources of folic acid are almost all green vegetables: spinach, beet leaves, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, melon, watermelon.
? Vitamin E(tocopherol) is a powerful biological antioxidant, it protects the eyes, skin, liver from the effects of environmental pollution, and protects red blood cells from harmful oxidation. Vegetable beans, vegetable peas, parsley, spinach, and lettuce are rich in vitamin E.
? Vitamin P(rutin, citrine) combines a large group of biologically active substances - bioflavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant properties. It increases the strength of the walls of the smallest blood vessels, regulates their permeability and the activity of the thyroid gland, prevents and treats hemorrhages in various areas of the eye. The activity of rutin increases in the presence of ascorbic acid. Vitamin deficiency leads to increased capillary permeability, resulting in pinpoint intradermal hemorrhages. There is a lot of vitamin P in all vegetables that have a red and purple color, including: sorrel, vegetable peas, dill, radishes, tomatoes, red sweet peppers, parsley, beets.
?Vitamin PP(nicotinic acid) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. This acid is part of the redox enzymes - dehydrogenases. Vitamin PP plays an important role in normalizing cholesterol levels in the blood and liver function. Sources of nicotinic acid are tomatoes, carrots, spinach, and onions.
?Vitamins K(naphthoquinone derivatives) are a group of antihemorrhagic factors necessary for normal blood clotting. The richest foods in the vitamin are spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, and carrots.
?Vitamin U(methyl-methionine) is used for the prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers and chronic gastritis. The vitamin is found in beets, parsley, and cauliflower.
8. What role do minerals play in the human body?
In order for the human body to develop normally and be healthy, it needs all the vitamins and minerals, which together complement and help each other, for example:
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb and use calcium and phosphorus;
Zinc is needed to use and transport vitamin A to various organs;
Vitamin B2 activates the activity of vitamin B6;
Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12 work together to extract energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The absence of one of the vitamins in this group will slow down the functioning of the others;
To produce vitamin D, the body requires pantothenic acid;
The mineral selenium enhances the antioxidant abilities of vitamin E;
To absorb vitamin B 12 from food, a certain amount of vitamin B is necessary;
If food contains iron and vitamin C at the same time, then iron is absorbed better.
9. What groups of minerals are found in plants?
Vegetables are an indispensable source of minerals for the body. Minerals in vegetables are in the form of easily digestible salts of mineral and organic acids. Minerals in meat and fish products produce acidic compounds during digestion, while vegetables contain physiologically alkaline salts. The predominance of these salts in food ensures normal metabolism and alkaline blood reaction.
Vegetables contain more than 50 chemical elements. Minerals essential for humans are divided into 3 groups:
Macroelements required by the body in significant quantities (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron);
Trace elements needed in very small quantities (copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, bromine, cobalt, nickel);
Ultramicroelements contained in vegetables in very small concentrations and are toxic if consumed in large quantities (mercury, lead, radium, rubidium, silver).
10. What is the role of macroelements in the human body? Which vegetables have more macronutrients?
?Calcium participates in the construction of bone tissue, in the processes of blood clotting and regulation of water and salt metabolism, excitability of the nervous system, muscle contraction, and the action of a number of hormones. Calcium accounts for up to 1.5% of a person’s body weight. Calcium is found in the bones and is their structural element, where renewal processes occur constantly: in children after 1–2 years, with increasing age after 10–15 years, and even more slowly in the elderly. Therefore, the more calcium enters the body, the better the condition of bone tissue.
It has been established that with cooking and frying, organic calcium and other elements and vitamins are converted into inorganic form (more than 60%) and, entering the human body, contribute to salt deposits.
The average daily requirement for calcium is 0.6–1.2 g. Parsley, dill (220–240 mg), kale, onion leaves, and lettuce are rich in calcium.
? Potassium- a vital intracellular element, the content of which determines the indicators of water-salt metabolism, the activity of a number of enzymes, the transmission of nerve impulses, and blood pressure levels. The daily requirement of an adult for potassium is 2–3.5 g. Spinach, parsley, celery, kohlrabi, Chinese and Chinese cabbage are rich in potassium.
? Sodium participates in water-salt metabolism, in creating blood buffering, regulating nervous and muscle activity, and blood pressure. The ratio of potassium and sodium ions is of great importance for water-salt metabolism. Excess sodium ions leads to increased blood pressure and the development of atherosclerosis. The daily requirement for sodium is 4–6 g. The most important source of sodium is table salt, as well as salted and pickled vegetables.
? Phosphorus necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, brain, and participates in the construction of bone tissue. The human body contains about 600–700 g of phosphorus. Phosphorus is part of proteins, fats, and nucleic acids. Phosphorus compounds (adenosine phosphoric acid and creatine phosphate) are energy accumulators, regulators of plant life support, activators of human mental and physical activity. Vegetables contain phosphorus in the form of phosphoric acid and organic salts - phosphates. Green peas, watercress, tomatoes, parsley (root vegetables), and celery (leaves) have the greatest amount of phosphorus.
? Iron very important for the functioning of the circulatory system, the formation of hemoglobin, components of the respiratory chain (cytochromes) and the activity of a number of enzymes. Lack of iron leads to the development of severe anemia and anemia. The human body contains about 4 g of iron. The daily requirement is 10–15 mg.
Iron is most easily absorbed from fresh vegetables due to the presence of ascorbic acid in them. Spinach, sorrel, cauliflower, green peas, vegetable beans, lettuce, and radishes are rich in iron.
11. What is the role of microelements in the human body and which vegetables contain more microelements?
Microelements total only 0.04-0.07% of a person’s body weight, but without them normal growth and development is impossible.
? Copper necessary for normal life, proper metabolism, hematopoiesis, hemoglobin biosynthesis, and activity of the central nervous system. It stimulates the production of pituitary hormones. The adult human body contains 2 g of copper, the daily requirement for copper is 100 mg. Vegetables with a high copper content include pumpkin, radishes, eggplants, tomatoes, carrots, beets, and legumes.
? zinc- an important trace element that is part of the hormone insulin, which regulates the normal course of carbohydrate metabolism. The role of zinc in metabolism is so great that its deficiency causes severe diseases: infertility, dwarfism, various forms of anemia, dermatitis, increased tumor growth, nail pathologies, hair loss.
The daily requirement for zinc is from 20 to 30 mg. The richest sources of zinc are the roots of endive lettuce, green peas, cauliflower, beans, and carrots.
?Sulfur is part of amino acids (cystine, cysteine and methionine) and cell proteins, as well as some vitamins, hormones and biologically active substances. The required concentration of sulfur ensures the synthesis of insulin, an important hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism. The daily human need for sulfur is 4–5 g. Among vegetables with a high sulfur content: vegetable beans, green peas, onions, carrots, horseradish.
?Iodine- almost half of it is in the thyroid gland. Participates in the formation of the thyroid hormone - thyroxine. Iodine deficiency is manifested by disorders of the thyroid gland. With a deficiency of iodine, copper, cobalt, and manganese in the diet, vitamin C metabolism is disrupted and the number of red blood cells in the blood decreases. The highest iodine content is in garlic, radish, lettuce, tomato, beans, and spinach.
? Silver- silver ions have an antiseptic effect in the human body and increase the tone of the body. Silver is found in mint, lemon balm, and dill.
?Manganese is part of enzymatic systems and takes part in redox processes.
Manganese enhances the effect of insulin and maintains optimal cholesterol levels in the blood, and promotes the destruction of fats. Among vegetables, the most manganese is found in white cabbage, mint, and parsley.
? Cobalt participates in the metabolism of fatty acids and folic acid, in carbohydrate metabolism, but its main function is participation in the formation of vitamin B 12, the deficiency of which leads to the development of malignant anemia. Cobalt can accumulate and be stored in the body for up to 7 years. Vegetable products contain the most cobalt in green peas, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, and spinach.
12. What is the relationship between vitamins and minerals?
Minerals are essential elements. Twenty-two basic and many other minerals make up 4-5% of the average human weight (that is, a 67 kg person's body contains about 3 kg of minerals). And for the body to be healthy, a certain balance of minerals is necessary, interacting with other substances, for example:
Phosphorus and molybdenum extract energy from food together with vitamin C;
Sulfur is a component of vitamin B1;
Cobalt is found in vitamin B 12;
Copper helps the body absorb and process iron;
Selenium and vitamin E work together as antioxidants, protecting the heart from oxidation and preventing the development of tumors.
No single food contains all the elements needed for health, so eating a variety of fresh vegetables is essential.
13. What is the role of biologically active substances in human nutrition?
Vegetables, in addition to carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, enzymes, and mineral salts, contain biologically active substances - natural antioxidants that are not found in other products. One of the reasons for a decrease in the body's immunity, the development of many diseases, and a reduction in life expectancy is a deficiency of antioxidants in the body and an excess of free radicals.
Free radicals are formed from unsaturated fatty acids that are part of the lipids of cell membranes and blood plasma lipoproteins. They have a high reactivity in the body - they reduce the vital activity of cells of the heart, brain, liver, and stomach under stress and the action of carcinogenic substances.
The body protects itself from the action of free radicals with its own antioxidants; to do this, it needs to have a sufficient amount of antioxidants that bind free radicals and inhibit lipid oxidation processes.
Vegetables are the richest source of natural antioxidants. This group includes enzymes, the mineral selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, and lycopene.
Among vegetables, garlic, vegetable beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and spinach have the greatest ability to neutralize free radicals. Sweet peppers, white cabbage, and onions have average antioxidant capacity.
Selenium is an important antioxidant. It strengthens the immune system and reduces the effects of toxic substances. In superdoses, selenium is concentrated in pumpkin, parsnip, dill, parsley, sweet pepper, and tomato. Selenium intake rates are low and range from 150 to 200 mg daily. This amount can be contained in 200 g of tomato fruit.
14. Which vegetables have anti-carcinogenic properties?
Many vegetable plants contain substances that have anticarcinogenic properties. The most famous are lycopene and chlorophyll.
? Lycopene- carotenoid, a red pigment, is a powerful natural antioxidant. It protects the body from cardiovascular diseases and the development of tumors. Lycopene is found in large quantities in tomatoes, red peppers, and watermelon.
? Chlorophyll gives color to green vegetables, is a proven antimutagen that prevents pathological changes in cellular DNA molecules. Some scientists believe that chlorophyll blocks the first step in the transformation of healthy cells into cancer cells. Chlorophyll is found in green crops, cabbage, sorrel, and cucumber.
15. What role do organic acids play in human nutrition and in which vegetables do organic acids accumulate more?
Organic acids are found in plants in the form of salts and esters, causing their specific taste. Promote digestion, normalize the secretion of gastric juice. The sour taste of leaves and fruits indicates the presence of acids in them. The most important of them are apple, oxalic and lemon. Less common are wine, amber, milk and tartron.
Organic acids affect physiological metabolic processes and have a positive effect on the functioning of the stomach and the whole body. They inhibit the development of pathogenic bacteria and improve the health of its microflora.
? malic acid present in all plants, especially in tomatoes, white cabbage, and rhubarb petioles.
? Oxalic acid found in many plants, but the richest in it are sorrel, rhubarb, and spinach.
? Citric acid It is found in most vegetables in small quantities, but in tomatoes, eggplants and sweet peppers it is much more abundant than oxalic acid.
? Tartronic acid inhibits the conversion of carbohydrates into fat in the body and to a certain extent prevents obesity and the appearance of atherosclerosis. There is a lot of tartronic acid in tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, radishes, and carrots.
16. What effect do vegetables have on the human body?
Parsley, celery, onion, garlic, radish, radish, and daikon contain essential oils, which in optimal quantities help increase the secretion of digestive juices and have disinfectant properties.
Onions, garlic, horseradish, and radishes contain phytoncides that suppress pathogens.
Lettuce, white cabbage, rhubarb, tomato, spinach have properties that can protect the body from exposure to radioactive elements.
Fresh vegetables, especially beans, peas, dill, parsnips, contain a lot of fiber, which promotes the separation of gastric juice and bile.
Pumpkin, eggplants, radishes, beets contain a significant amount of pectin substances, which are absorbed by the body in very small quantities, but protect the intestinal and stomach mucous membranes from damage, have the ability to adsorb excess fluid and harmful bacteria in the intestines and thereby have a disinfectant effect.
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Vegetables are low-calorie foods: 100 g of fresh vegetables provides from 25 to 50 kcal, and vegetables such as tomato, cucumber, radish, onion, lettuce, spinach - up to 25 kcal. The most high-calorie foods are green peas, beans, sweet corn, garlic, horseradish, potatoes (from 70 to 100 kcal). The low calorie content of vegetables is due to the presence of a large amount of water in them - 85-95%. Despite this, vegetables play an important role in healthy human nutrition. They contain easily digestible carbohydrates, proteins, vegetable fats, vitamins, mineral salts, organic acids, microelements, essential oils, phytoncides, and enzymes. All essential amino acids needed by humans are found in vegetable proteins. Vegetables also provide fiber, which is essential for maintaining health.
Mineral salts (especially potassium, calcium and phosphorus) contribute to the normal functioning of physiological processes in the body. Organic acids and essential oils improve appetite and taste of vegetables, promote the absorption of food by the body.
A very important component of vegetables are biologically active substances - vitamins. They help improve digestion, metabolism, regulate blood pressure and hematopoiesis, increase the body's resistance to various diseases, strengthen the nervous system, regulate the activity of the thyroid gland, liver, vascular system, etc.
The most essential vitamins for humans are: vitamin A (carotene), vitamin B (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin D (anti-rachitic), vitamin P (rutin) , vitamin PP (nicotinic acid), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (mixture of tocopherols), vitamin K (phylloquinone). We get all these and a number of other vitamins in the required quantities from vegetables.
Phytoncides of onions, garlic, horseradish, radishes, carrots and spicy plants are antiseptics that kill viruses and other harmful microorganisms. Onion juice helps lower blood sugar, cabbage juice helps prevent the development of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Cucumber juice is rich in enzymes and microelements. Betaine and betanin from beets, together with vitamin P, reduce blood pressure and promote hematopoiesis. Betanin inhibits the development of malignant tumors, and betaine improves liver function.
Vegetables are most valuable when consumed fresh. Nutrition science has established that the consumption of vegetables, melons and potatoes per capita per year should be (kg): white cabbage - 32-50; cauliflower, kohlrabi and other types - 3-5; tomatoes - 25-32; cucumbers - 10-15; carrots - 6-10; table beets - 8-10; onions - 6-10; zucchini and eggplant - 5; radish, radish, green, spicy and perennial - up to 10; melons (watermelon, melon, pumpkin) -25-30; potatoes - 90-110.
Obtaining high-quality crop products requires the implementation of a number of technological processes related to the organization and agricultural technology of growing vegetable plants. This is their placement on the site, methods of preparing the soil and caring for it: methods of sowing and planting, preparing seeds and growing seedlings; application of fertilizers, watering; pest and disease control; technology for growing vegetables under polymer films, in insulated soil and greenhouses. Strict adherence to these recommendations allows you to obtain high yields of vegetable crops.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are important elements of human nutrition - these are the right foods. No wonder the fact of the existence of vegetarianism has been known since ancient times. But let’s not argue now about the benefits or harms of vegetarianism. Let's talk about the effect of fresh fruits and vegetables on the human body.
Specialists from the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences have developed consumption standards for various products. For example, a person needs to consume 110 kilograms of potatoes per year, 122 kilograms of vegetables, and 106 kilograms of fruit and berry products.
On average, the energy value of fruit and berry products is 60 kcal/100g, and that of vegetables is about 30-40 kcal/100g. Fresh products can almost completely provide the body with the main types of energy substances.
An important element in fruits and vegetables is water. But this is not the ordinary liquid that we are all accustomed to. It has a special structure, various nutrients are dissolved in it. In addition, the structure of dipoles is similar to the structure of water contained in the body. It also contains dry matter.
Water in such food is about 80%, and, for example, in cucumbers - up to 97%. Various substances of mineral and organic origin are dissolved in it. It is the presence and large amount of water that determines the elasticity of the fruit. And since it is water that contains the bulk of nutrients, if improperly stored, causing moisture to evaporate, the product loses its beneficial properties.
Carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy, are formed as a result of the process of photosynthesis. In fruits and vegetables they are in an easily digestible form. The taste, structure of fruits and vegetables, as well as the ability for long-term storage, are determined by the amount and composition of carbohydrates. The main carbohydrates are monosaccharides (fructose, glucose). Glucose is needed for the functioning of brain tissue, muscles (including heart muscles), and the formation of glycogen in the liver. Maintaining sugar levels is also one of the functions of glucose. Fructose is more easily tolerated by people with diabetes; it is converted into glycogen faster. The fruits also contain sucrose, a disaccharide that, under the influence of certain substances, turns into glucose and fructose. The ratio of all these substances distinguishes different types of fruits and vegetables.
Of the high molecular weight polysaccharides, fruits and vegetables contain: inulin, pectin, cellulose. As potatoes are stored, the amount of starch grains in them decreases, so fresh potatoes boil faster. Fruits and berries contain little starch, with the exception of green bananas. Pectin substances are important for the body as an enterosorbent, as they have the ability to remove radionuclides, toxic substances, and heavy metal salts. Sources of inulin include garlic, Jerusalem artichoke roots, and chicory.
Dietary fiber includes various substances, such as: fiber, pectin, lignin, hemicellulose. They are of great importance in improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and activating peristalsis. Dietary fiber “stirs up” the intestinal walls, removing food debris from the body, cleansing the intestines of rotting products. That is why it is useful to eat lettuce leaves, bread with bran, and long-cooked oatmeal porridge.
Organic acids give fruits and vegetables their special taste. Products contain different types, but in each variety of vegetables or fruits some kind of acid predominates. For example, malic acid is found in large quantities in stone and pome fruits, and citric acid is found in citrus fruits. Tartaric acid predominates in grapes, while cranberries and lingonberries are rich in benzoic acid. During storage, the content of organic acids decreases.
Of course, fruits and vegetables contain a lot of vitamins. They are synthesized in the body in very small quantities, so it is necessary to eat foods containing them. Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in vitamins C, P, A, E, K, B9. There is almost everything except B12 and D. The products are also rich in minerals. The macro- and microelements they contain are important substances for humans. Potassium plays a special role (there is a lot of it in dried apricots, prunes, raisins, potatoes, legumes, cabbage). It helps remove moisture from the body and improves the permeability of the cell membrane. There is a lot of calcium in green vegetables, carrots, and berries. It helps protect cells from destruction (“postpones” aging), promotes the normal functioning of the nervous system and blood clotting. Magnesium helps the heart function properly and reduces fatigue. Iron is an important element included in blood hemoglobin. It is found in cabbage, apples, radishes, beets, and carrots.
Vegetables are extremely important in human nutrition. They are a source of carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, vitamins, mineral salts, enzymes, and other very important nutrients; they also contain fiber, starch, pectin, and hemicellulose.
Many vegetables, such as cabbage, tomatoes, peppers and others, contain about 3-5% sugar, some varieties of onions - up to 15%. Sugar determines the taste of many vegetables. It is important when sauerkraut and processing tomatoes.
Vitamins, which are almost completely absent in other foods, are of particular value to the human body. Let us briefly look at the characteristics of the most important vitamins contained in vegetables.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) ensures normal metabolism and oxidative processes in the body. With its deficiency, the nervous system relaxes, the functioning of blood vessels deteriorates, fatigue, drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia appear, and performance decreases. Vitamin C promotes the removal of harmful (toxic) substances from the body and recovery from many diseases. With a lack of vitamin C, the healing of wounds and bone damage is delayed. The daily requirement for vitamin C for an adult is 70-120 mg.
It has been found that vitamin C in many vegetables coexists well with vitamin P (permeability vitamin), which increases the strength of the smallest blood vessels. When combined, the effectiveness of both vitamins in the body increases. The most vitamin P is found in carrots. The daily human need for vitamin P is 50 mg.
Carotene (provitamin A). With a lack of vitamin A in food, growth is impaired, the body's resistance to many infectious diseases, in particular influenza, is reduced, and the protective properties of the skin are weakened. Carotene has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lacrimal, sebaceous and sweat glands, and increases the body's resistance to diseases of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and intestines. In adults, with a lack of carotene, night blindness occurs, in which a person cannot distinguish objects at dusk.
The daily requirement for vitamin A is 1.5 g. This vitamin is formed from provitamin A. 1 kg of carrot roots contains from 15.5 to 62.7 mg of carotene. There is especially a lot of vitamin A in parsley leaves, dill, and coriander.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is very important in regulating the body’s vital functions. With a lack of this vitamin, mental and physical fatigue occurs and appetite is lost. Long-term deficiency of vitamin B1 in the body leads to low temperature, headache, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain in the extremities. The daily requirement for this vitamin is 2-4 mg.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Its significance for the body is diverse. It has a great influence on carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, and on visual acuity. Vitamin B2 activates the functioning of the liver and stomach, and regulates blood circulation. The daily requirement of vitamin B2 is 2.5-3.5 mg.
Vitamin B6 (folic acid) promotes the formation of red blood cells (erythrocytes). It is especially necessary for people suffering from anemia. The daily requirement for this vitamin is 2.4 mg. Its highest content is in the leaves of parsley, sorrel, fresh salmon, spinach, and green peas, carrots, cauliflower, and tomatoes.
Vitamin PP (nicotinic acid) has a positive effect on liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, peptic ulcers of the stomach, pancreas and duodenum, and healing wounds. The daily requirement for vitamin PP is 15-20 mg.
Vitamin K. Its role for humans is very important. It is involved in the formation of prothrombin. Reducing it in the body impairs blood clotting. Vitamin K is used as a wound healing and hemostatic agent. The highest content of this vitamin was found in spinach - 0.27--0.55 mg, in various types of cabbage - 0.2--0.4 mg per 100 g. It is also found in other vegetables.
Vitamin E. With a lack of this vitamin, neuromuscular disorder in newborns is observed. Consuming the required amount of vitamin E prevents aging and improves performance. Its highest content is in peas - 4.5 mg, cabbage - 1-2.5, green onions - 2.4, carrots - 1.2 mg per 100 g, etc.
Fresh, unprocessed vegetables contain enzymes necessary to improve metabolism, which determine the nature and speed of chemical reactions in the body (for example, horseradish).
The highest content of the peroxidase enzyme was found in celery, horseradish, and radish.
Some vegetables are rich in phytoncides - volatile substances that have a specific odor that can suppress the development of microbes and bacteria harmful to humans. Garlic, onions, horseradish, radishes, etc. contain especially a lot of these substances. These plants are best consumed fresh.
Many vegetable plants contain aromatic substances that improve appetite and promote better absorption of animal products. Such plants include parsley, celery, parsnips, various types of onions, basil, coriander, mint, cucumber grass, as well as well-known cucumbers, radishes, etc. Eating a wide variety of vegetables significantly improves nutrition and makes it more complete. According to scientific data, for normal life and good performance, the average person needs 126 kg of vegetables, 110 kg of potatoes, 31 kg of melons per year. Since fresh vegetables are not grown all year round, it is also necessary to consume canned ones. In terms of the content of vitamins and other nutrients, canned vegetables are not inferior to vegetables stored during the autumn-winter period.
Spicy vegetables. Spicy vegetables are a necessary part of most dishes used in everyday nutrition. Unlike herbs (spices), they have pronounced biological activity and contain vitamins C, B6, carotene, and folacin. This complex of vitamins exhibits a biological effect even with a relatively small amount of spicy vegetables in the diet.
Dill. The specific aroma of dill is determined by the presence of essential oil containing aromatic substances such as phelandrene, terminene, limonene, carvone and aniol. The essential oil content in dill reaches 2.5%. Young plants (up to 10 cm in height) are used as a seasoning for food. Older plants with coarsened stems are used as an aromatic spice when pickling cucumbers and preparing marinades. 100 g of dill contains 100 mg of ascorbic acid. Chewing dill seeds after a heavy fatty meal improves digestion and relieves the feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
Parsley. The leaves and roots of parsley contain essential oil, which gives it its characteristic smell. There are root and leaf parsley: the first uses roots and leaves for food, the second uses only leaves. 100 g of parsley contains 1.7 mg of B-carotene and 150 mg of ascorbic acid. Parsley is characterized by a high iron content (1.9 mg).
Onion. There are several types of onions used in food. The most famous are onions, leeks and spring onions. The pungent odor of onions depends on the content of essential onion oil, which contains sulfides. The amount of essential oil in onions is 0.037-0.055%. Onions contain a variety of minerals and vitamins. Green onions (feathers) are of greatest vitamin value. 100 g of green onions contain 10 mg of ascorbic acid, 100 g of leeks - 35 mg, onions - 10 mg. Green onions are characterized by a high content of B-carotene (2.0 mg per 100 g).
Garlic. Garlic is a spicy vegetable with a strong taste and aromatic properties. It contains essential oil (0.005-0.009 g per 100 g). Garlic is of no value as a source of ascorbic acid, but it has bactericidal properties due to the phytoncides it contains. Garlic is also important as a medicinal plant. It is used in the treatment of vascular and many other diseases.
Horseradish. The pungent taste of horseradish depends on the presence of allyl mustard oil; the amount of essential oil in horseradish is 0.05 g per 100 g. Horseradish has a high content of ascorbic acid (55 g per 100 g) and is a source of phytoncides.
Many herbs and roots are used as herbs in different countries and regions. The need for spicy vegetables is about 2% of the total vegetable consumption.
Rhubarb. From the leaves and petioles of rhubarb, cut before the plant blooms, you can prepare salads, jelly, compote, and pie filling. It is important that rhubarb preparations do not disrupt the digestive processes, do not affect the secretion of the gastrointestinal tract, but enhance peristalsis only at the level of the large intestine.
Borage is an ancient medicinal plant. Its leaves with the smell of fresh cucumber are added to vinaigrettes, okroshka, and cold borscht. Borage has a beneficial effect on metabolism.
It’s not for nothing that young lettuce leaves are called the breakfast of kings. Indeed, no other plant has such a delicate and refined taste. Its healing properties have been known for a long time. The substance contained in the salad, lactucin, calms the nervous system, improves sleep, and reduces the incidence of atherosclerosis. Organic acids prevent salt deposition. Pectins stimulate the intestinal tract. Lettuce leaves contain almost all known vitamins. The leaves are eaten fresh, separately or together with radishes and cucumbers; You can make sandwiches out of them.
Spinach contains proteins, sugar, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, vitamins P, K, E, D, minerals: magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, iodine. All this makes spinach one of the most valuable dietary products. It contains secretin, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the stomach and pancreas. Spinach is especially useful for anemia.
Sorrel, which is used before flowering, improves digestion and reduces putrefactive fermentation in the intestines. Traditional medicine recommends sorrel juice as a choleretic agent. It is also a rich source of vitamin B. Sorrel leaves can be dried without losing their nutritional properties.
Useful properties of vegetables.
Beetroot Like many other vegetables, beets improve metabolism and the digestion process. Its juice stimulates the activity of the liver, promotes the formation and purification of blood. This vegetable crop is remarkable in that it contains predominantly a lot of alkaline mineral salts, which helps maintain an alkaline blood reaction. Beetroot is widely used in vegetable diet therapy. It has a beneficial effect on the body in diseases such as gastrointestinal, anemia, hypertension, diabetes, and kidney stones. Carrots Vitamin A, a rich source of which carrots are, improves metabolism in the human body, promotes the growth and development of the skin, ensures the normal functioning of the glands (sebaceous, sweat, lacrimal), and increases the body's resistance to infections. Carrot vegetable juice helps with hypo- and avitaminosis and improves vision. Carrot seeds are the raw material for the production of the drug daucarin. This is an extract that dilates coronary vessels. A simple carrot turned out to be such a wonderful vegetable. White cabbage White cabbage retains its nutritional value and taste well during winter storage and pickling. Like other vegetable plants, it is widely used by doctors to treat various diseases. For spring vitamin deficiency, fresh sauerkraut or the juice of this vegetable (a glass on an empty stomach) is recommended. The high vitamin C content in this vegetable helps remove cholesterol from the body. Minerals, especially potassium salts, which this vegetable plant is rich in, improve heart function and remove excess fluid from the body. Cabbage improves intestinal motor function, preventing the development of atherosclerosis. Dry cabbage juice is industrially produced to treat stomach ulcers. The importance of this vegetable is so great in our lives that it is used not only in dietary nutrition, but also in the medical industry. Kohlrabi This wonderful vegetable from the cabbage family is not very common. Although this vegetable crop is tastier, juicier and healthier than white cabbage. The high content of calcium and phosphorus, as well as other minerals, allows us to consider this vegetable plant as the most valuable dietary product in the diet of children and pregnant women.
