How to cook vegetables

Vegetables and other foods of plant origin were the primary source of sustenance for early humans. The plant foods that we call vegetables came under cultivation later than the grains and legumes. Less protein- and carbohydrate-dense than the grains and legumes, vegetables have always served more as accompaniments or accessory ingredients than as staples. Some fragrant, highly flavored vegetables, such as scallions, garlic, ginger, parsley, basil, oregano, fenugreek, and dill, are really used as herbs and spices in sparing amounts as flavorings for other foods.

Some plant foods that we consider vegetables are, botanically, fruits (for example, avocado, squash, cucumber, olives, tomatoes, and eggplant), that is, edible flesh surrounding seeds. Nevertheless, the term “vegetable” has come to denote plant foods eaten as side dishes or used in the preparation of any part of the meal except dessert. Vegetables tend to be less sweet than foods considered fruits. In addition, some foods that are served as vegetables are really grains (corn), legumes (green beans, lima beans, peas), or fungi (mushrooms, truffles). So what is a vegetable? A vegetable is essentially any edible part of the plant (leaves, roots or tubers, and stalks) except, in most cases, the fruit. Multiple parts of some plants are eaten as separate vegetables with very different nutrient contents. The most common example is beet roots and their greens.

How to cook vegetables

Vegetables contribute significant amounts of vitamins, minerals, soluble and insoluble fiber, and other phytonutrients to our diets. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise us to eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits every day, because the nutrient content varies considerably from one to another. With the exception of olives and avocados, which are really fruits, few vegetables, by themselves, provide significant amounts of fat. The fat provided by olives and avocados is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease.