Chapter 3 - Vegetables

Bulbs. Give examples.

-A stem with fleshy leaves and and fleshy leaf bases -Onion, shallot, garlic (a cluster of bulbs)

Describe the similarities and differences between lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea).

-Both cabbage and lettuce have *stunted stems*, so their *leaves are tightly packed to form a head*. -Both lettuce and cabbage *bolt*, or prematurely flower in warm conditions. -Both have hardened cores around which the leaves are arranged -Cabbage is member of Brassicaceae, the Mustard family, while lettuce belongs to the Sunflower or Daisy family, Asteraceae -Cabbage is tougher and contains less water content than lettuce. Both are good sources of calcium.

Describe cassava, including: -Family -Place of origin -Alternative names

-Cassava belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family. -It is native to South America -It is also known as yuca and manioc

Outline how cassava is prepared for human consumption.

-Cassava is prepared for human consumption by the removal of its milky latex. -The cassava is *boiled or grated and pounded to remove the latex*. The remaining *wet mass is then used to make flatbread*. -Other than flatbread, the wet mass of cassava can be *dried and toasted to make a flour called farofa*.

Distinguish between corms and rhizomes, and provide an example of each.

-Corms are fleshy *vertical* swollen stems. An example is taro, or corpse flower. -Rhizomes grow horizontally. An example is ginger (Zingiber), and edible canna. -Both rhizomes and corms have *scale leaves at their nodes*.

State the source of these inedible compounds found in vegetables: -Cyanogenic glycosides -Sapogenic glycosides -Calcium oxalate

-Cyanogenic glycosides occur *in cassava*. -Sapogenic glycosides occurs *in wild yams*. -Calcium oxalate crystals occur *in taro corms*.

The flour made from cassava. How is it made?

-Farofa -After the cassava is boiled or grated and pounded to remove the latex, the remaining mass is dried and toasted to produce the farofa (*also called farinha*).

Products made from cassava (4)

-Flatbread -Farofa/farinha (flour from dried and toasted cassava) -Tapioca, used as a thickening agent -Sabudana (granular, white tapioca pearls consumed as an edible starch)

Corms. Give an example.

-Fleshy, vertical swollen stems -Taro

Which of the following is a hypocotyl vegetable? -Ginger -Radish -Kohlrabi -Asparagus

-Radish is a hypocotyl vegetable. It derives from the intermediate portion of the plant between the stem and root and grows underground.

Vegetables can derive from any of the following plant parts:

-Stem and/or leaf -Hypocotyl -Modified plant part, such as a storage root -Undeveloped flower parts

Tubers. Give an example.

-Swollen tips of underground stems called stolons -Sweet potato, cassava, white potato

Describe white potatoes, including: -Family -Place of origin -A significant product made from it -Its significance to Irish

-White potatoes belong to the nightshade family, Solanaceae -They originated in modern-day Peru (South America) -*Chuno* is one notable product made from potato - it is *freeze-dried* and often has a moldy taste, but keeps fresh for months once dry -Between 1845 and 1849, a fungal pathogen wiped out entire crops fields of potato in Ireland, leading to the Great Irish Famine and encouraging people in Ireland to migrate to North America.

Chuno

A mold-tasting starch powder derived from white potato

Define vegetable. They derive from __________, as opposed to fruits, which develop from ___________.

A vegetable is *any edible plant part that people consume cooked or raw* as part of regular meals. They *derive from vegetative plant parts* such as leaves, stems, and roots, as opposed to fruits, which develop from *the fertilized ovaries of flowers.*

List vegetables derived from Amaranthaceae.

Amaranthaceae, the amaranth family, includes: -Amaranth (callaloo) greens -Spinach -Beetroot/chard

Artichoke is a member of which botanical family?

Artichoke belongs to Asteraceae, the sunflower or daisy/aster family

This vegetable is a natural diuretic.

Asparagus is a natural diuretic.

Asparagus is part of a _______________ family. It is an ___________ ___________ with an underground _____________.

Asparagus is part of a *monocot family." It is an *herbaceous perennial* with an *underground rhizome*.

Sunflower (or daisy) family. Name two vegetables discussed in class that belong to this (huge) family

Asteraceae. *Artichoke* and *lettuce* belong to the sunflower/daisy/aster family.

Bolting

Bolting is a phenomenon that affects cruciferous vegetables (as well as lettuce) at warm temperatures. At warm temperatures, a *typically stunted stem expands and produces a flowering shoot*. Bolting causes the vegetables to become bitter, so they cannot be sold commercially.

"Brassica oleracea" means _________.

Brassica oleracea means "kitchen garden."

Mustard family name. Consists of the vegetables known as _____________ vegetables.

Brassicaceae. Consists of the *cruciferous vegetables,* including broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, cabbage.

Broccoli and cauliflower are selections from ___________.

Broccoli an cauliflower are recent selections from *kales*.

Cabbage is the basis for these two food items, popular in European and Korean cuisine, respectively.

Cabbage is the main ingredient in *sauerkraut* and *kimchi* (pickled, fermented cabbage).

Calcium oxalate crystals occur in the corms of ___________. How are the crystals destroyed to make the corm edible?

Calcium oxalate crystals occur in *taro corms*. The corms *must be cooked to destroy the crystals.*

Celery belongs to the same family as ____________ (Apiaceae, also known as _____________).

Celery belongs to the same family as *carrots and parsley*. The family name is Apiaceae, also known as *Umbellifers* because of their flat-topped flowers.

In order to absorb the *iron* found in large amounts in *spinach*, cooked spinach should be eaten with ________________.

Cooked spinach should be eaten with *foods rich in vitamin C* in order to absorb the iron present in spinach.

Japanese radish

Daikon

Farofa is the byproduct of

Farofa is the byproduct of cassava

A head of garlic is made up of a cluster of individual _________ called cloves.

Garlic is made up of a *cluster of individual bulbs*, each one called a clove.

List 6 vegetables that derive from the hypocotyl region of a plant. They grow ____________ and lack ____________.

Hypocotyl vegetables include: -Carrots -Rutabaga -Parsnip -Turnip -Beetroot -Radish The above vegetables *grow underground* and *lack green color.*

Kale is a form of cabbage, in which stems are...

Kale is a form of cabbage, in which *stems are not stunted*.

Known as the *drumstick plant*, the __________ carries a variety of nutritional merits, including:

Known as the drumstick plant, the *moringa* carries the following nutritional benefits: -High percentage of calcium, protein, potassium, and iron -High vitamin A (key for good vision) and C content -Fiber

Leaf beet is known as ____________ .

Leaf beet is also known as *Swiss chard*, which has variously colored petioles.

Modified roots provide several functions, including:

Modified roots *anchor the plant*, and *provide food storage for the plant*, and *aid in asexual reproduction (via stolons)*

Sweet potato -Place of origin -World's leading producer

Sweet potato is originally from South America. Today, China is the world's largest producer of sweet potatoes.

Taro must be cooked prior to consumption because it contains _________________.

Taro must be cooked prior to consumption because it contains *calcium oxalate crystals*.

The edible portion of Brussels sprouts

The axillary buds, which form miniature "heads" arranged on a central stem.

The compounds found wild yams that make them inedible are called ____________. They led to the development of ______________.

The compounds that make wild yams inedible are *sapogenic glycosides*. Wild yams' sapogenic glycoside content has led to the *development of birth control pills*.

Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, broccoli, and kohlrabi share the *binomial* ______________. They derive from a ______________ (wild cabbage).

The cruciferous vegetables share *the binomial "Brassica oleracea."* They derive from a *common ancestor, wild cabbage.*

The digestion of carrots releases...

The digestion of carrots releases *two vitamin A molecules* in the molecules.

The edible part of celery

The edible part of celery is its *swollen leaf stalk*, called a *petiole*

Edible portion of broccoli

The edible portion of broccoli is its *cluster of unopened flower buds*.

Edible portion of cauliflower

The edible portion of cauliflower is its *proliferated stem tips* which form "curd-like" sections.

The edible portion of kohlrabi

The edible portion of kolhrabi is its *swollen stem*. Its leaves may also be eaten, but are consumed less commonly.

The edible portion of the carrot is its ___________, which is:

The edible portion of the carrot is its *hypocotyl,* which is the intermediate portion *between the stem and the root*.

The pigment that gives carrots (Daucus carota) their orange color. It consists of ______ vitamin ____ molecules which break down during digestion

The pigment that gives carrots their orange color is *Beta carotene*. Beta carotene consists of *two vitamin A molecules* that break down during digestion.

The pungent quality of onions is caused by...

The pungent quality of onions is caused by *volatile sulfur compounds*.

The root latex of cassava contains _______________, which must be removed for human consumption.

The root latex of cassava must be removed for human consumption because it contains *cyanogenic glycosides*.

The species name "sativa" means __________.

The species name sativa (such as in Lactuca sativa) means *"cultivated"*

The vegetable part of asparagus

The vegetable part of asparagus is its *unexpanded aerial shoot tips*

The vegetable part of the artichoke is its _______________, called the _________________.

The vegetable part of the artichoke is its *large, unopened inflorescence*, called the *capitulum (or head)*

True or False - Along with cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts, radish and turnip are also cruciferous vegetables.

True - Radish and turnips also belong to family Brassicaceae, making them cruciferous vegetables.

What are true yams, compared to sweet potatoes? Why are they not suitable to eat uncooked?

True yams are not the same as sweet potatoes, though sweet potatoes are often mistakenly called "yams" in the United States. -*True yams derive from a monocot plant* and are much *starchier than sweet potato*. -Wild yam tubers are a staple in Africa, but are not suitable uncooked because they *contain sapogenic glycosides*.

"Turnip-rooted celery" is popular in Europe and refers to _____________. The part that is eaten is its ____________.

Turnip-rooted celery refers to *celeriac*, which has leaves like celery and a *swollen root*. The *swollen root* is the part that is eaten, either cooked or raw.

The vegetables from which the first Jack O'lanterns were constructed.

Turnips, rutabagas, and beets were among the first vegetables from which Jack O'lanterns were constructed. They were used in Irish tradition to ward off evil spirits.

Vegetables derived from Brassicaceae are called ___________

Vegetables derived from Brassicaceae (the mustard family) are called *cruciferous vegetables*.