Faculty of Allied Health Sciences > Nutrition and Food Engineering
Vegetables nutrition
Golam Kibria:
Tomato, one of the wonderful vegetable, has drawn the attention of millions of vegetable lovers worldwide for its incredible health promoting properties. Interestingly, it has much more health benefiting qualities than an apple!
Health benefits of Tomato
*Very low in calories and fats; but rich source of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.
*The antioxidants present in tomatoes are found to be protective against many cancers including colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
*Phytochemicals present in tomatoes like Lycopene and carotenoids have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen free radicals. Red varieties of tomatoes are especially rich in the most powerful flavonoid antioxidant lycopene. Studies have shown that lycopene protects skin damage from UV rays and from prostate cancer.
*Zeaxanthin, another flavonoid compuond, helps protect eyes from "age related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly persons by filtering harmful ultra-violet rays.
*This veggie contains very good levels of vitamin A, and flvonoid anti-oxidants such as alpha and beta carotenes, xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
*In addition, they are also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (provide 21% of recommened daily levels per 100 g); consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
*Fresh tomato is very rich in potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
Golam Kibria:
Sweet potato, not only is just sweet to your taste buds but also good for your cardiovascular health. This starchy root vegetable is rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that are essential for optimal health.
Health benefits of Sweet potato
*Nutritious sweet potatoes are low in calories (provide just 90 cal/100 g, on comparison with starch rich cereals) and contains no saturated fats and cholesterol; but are rich source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals.
*They are storehouse of starch, a complex carbohydrate, which raises the blood sugar levels slowly on comparison to simple sugars; therefore, recommended as a healthy food supplement even in diabetes.
*They are excellent source of flavonoids like beta-carotene and vitamin A (provides 14187 IU of vitamin A and 8509 mcg of β-carotene). The value is one of the highest among root vegetables category. These compounds are powerful natural antioxidants. Vitamin A is also required by the body to maintain integrity of healthy mucus membranes and skin. It is also vital nutrient for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
*The tubers are packed with many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1), niacin, and riboflavin. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. These vitamins function as co-factors for various enzymes during metabolism.
*They also contain good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are very essential for body metabolism.
Golam Kibria:
This wonderful vegetable, one of the oldest edible source known to humankind, is found in a bewildering array of recipes and preparations, be it your favorite salad, gravy or curries. It has also been in used in traditional medicines since ancient times for its health promoting and curative properties.
Health benefits of Onions
*Onions are very low in calories (just 40 cal per 100 g) and fats; but rich in soluble dietary fiber.
*Onion phyto-chemical compounds allium and Allyl disulphide convert to allicin by enzymatic reaction when the bulb disturbed (crushing, cutting etc). Studies shown that these compounds have anti-mutagenic (protects from cancers) and anti-diabetic properties (helps lower blood sugar levels in diabetics).
*Laboratory studies show that allicin reduces cholesterol production by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme in the liver cells. Further, it also found to have anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal activities.
*Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness by release of nitric oxide (NO); thereby bring reduction in the total blood pressure. It also blocks platelet clot formation and has fibrinolytic action in the blood vessels which, helps decrease overall risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral vascular diseases (PVD), and stroke.
*They are rich source of chromium, the trace mineral that helps tissue cells respond appropriately to insulin levels in the blood; thus helps facilitate insulin action and control sugar levels in diabetes.
*They are also good source of antioxidant flavonoid quercetin, which is found to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic functions.
*They are also good in anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-C and mineral manganese which is required as co-factor for anti-oxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. In addition, isothiocyanate anti-oxidants in them help provide relief from cold and flu by exerting anti-inflammatory actions.
*Onions are also good in B-complex group of vitamins like pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folates and thiamin. Pyridoxine or vitamin B-6 helps keep up GABA levels in the brain, which works against neurotic conditions.
Golam Kibria:
Packed with rich nutrients, cauliflower or cabbage flower is one of the commonly used flower-vegetable. The flower heads contains numerous health benefiting phtyo nutrients such as indole-3-carbinol, sulforaphane etc that help prevent prostate, ovarian and cervical cancers.
Health benefits of Cauliflower
*Very low in calories. 100 g of fresh cauliflower has only 26 calories. However, it is very low in fat and contains no cholesterol.
*Its florets contain about 2 g of dietary fiber per 100 g; providing about 5% of recommended value.
*Cauliflower contains several anti cancer phyto-chemicals like sulforaphane and plant sterols such as indole-3-carbinol which appears to function as an anti-estrogen agent. Together these compounds have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer cell growth inhibition, cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.
*Also, Di-indolyl-methane (DIM), a lipid soluble compound present abundantly in brassica group of vegetables has found effective as immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral compound by potentiating Interferon-Gamma receptors and its production. DIM has currently been found application in the treatment of recurring respiratory papillomatosis caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and is in Phase III clinical trials for cervical dysplasia.
*Fresh cauliflower is excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g provides about 48.2 mg or 80% of daily recommended value. Vitamin-C is a proven antioxidant helps fight against harmful free radicals, boosts immunity and prevent from infections and cancers.
*It contains good amounts of many essential B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (B3) as well as vitamin K. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish and required for fat, protein and carbohydrates metabolism.
*It is also good source of minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium and potassium. Manganese is used in the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Potassium is an important intracellular electrolyte helps counter the hypertension effects of sodium.
Golam Kibria:
Eggplant or Brinjal, is a very low calorie vegetable and has healthy nutrition profile; good news for weight watchers! The veggie is popularly known as aubergine in the western world.
Health benefits of Eggplant (aubergine)
*Eggplant is very low in calories and fats but rich in soluble fiber content. 100 g provides just 24 calories but contributes about 9% of RDA of fiber.
*Research studies at the Institute of Biology of São Paulo State University, Brazil showed that eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol.
*It contains good amounts of many essential B-complex groups of vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (B3). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish and required for fat, protein and carbohydrates metabolism.
*It is also good source of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and potassium. Manganese is used as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Potassium is an important intracellular electrolyte helps counter the hypertension effects of sodium.
*The peel or skin (deep blue/purple varieties) of aubergine has significant amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins. Scientific studies have shown that these anti-oxidants have potential health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.
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