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Vegetables - versatile and valuable

In general, it is common to refer to plants and plant parts that are edible in raw and/or cooked form as vegetables. The plants concerned are fundamentally one- or two-year-old. The term vegetable goes back to the Middle High German word "gemüese", which at the time referred to a puree made from useful plants. Since fruits, leaves, roots, stems or roots of vegetable plants contain a considerable amount of vitamins, dietary fibers and minerals, they play a significant role in a healthy diet. Much sought-after vegetables such as potatoes, onions, cabbage and lettuce are grown on a large scale and are often harvested mechanically. Vegetables are sold both as fresh, frozen and canned vegetables. Fresh vegetables should be eaten as soon as possible after harvest, otherwise a gradual loss of vitamins and minerals can be expected. Scientists who studied the nutritional value of frozen and stored fresh vegetables found that for many types of vegetables, freezing is more advantageous than storage at 4-10 degrees Celsius.

Healthy meals with vegetables

Each German consumes about 90 kilograms of vegetables (fresh and processed) per year. Until not too long ago, it was common in Germany to serve vegetables as a side dish. A rethinking in terms of healthy nutrition is not least due to the German Nutrition Society e. V. (DGE), founded in 1956: The DGE's nutrition circle distinguishes seven food groups - the three most important being cereals, cereal products and potatoes, vegetables and salad, and fruit. If you want to eat a balanced diet, you should mainly eat foods that belong to these groups. A recommendation issued by the German Nutrition Society in 2009 calls for the consumption of 400 grams of vegetables and 250 grams of fruit per person per day. From a nutritional point of view, vegetables are convincing due to their low energy density and high content of vitamins (particularly vitamin B and vitamin C), trace elements, dietary fiber and secondary plant substances. The biologically active substances also have an extremely positive effect on health. Unfortunately, the preparation of raw vegetables (such as washing and chopping) often already causes a loss of vitamins, which can be up to 50 percent. Therefore, you should always make sure not to wash vegetables for too long and eat them as soon as possible. Tender vegetables that you want to eat cooked should preferably be steamed or boiled gently. Coarser vegetables such as red cabbage, on the other hand, can withstand longer cooking times.

Enjoying potatoes

Potatoes are a particularly important type of root vegetable. The vegetable, which belongs to the nightshade family, is very popular worldwide: In 2013, more than 376 million tons of potatoes were harvested, mostly for use as food. Apart from conventional methods of preparation such as boiling, frying, and deep-frying, potatoes offer numerous other possibilities for use. These include potato chips and frozen products such as hash browns and croquettes. Worldwide, there are about 5,000 potato varieties, the most important distinguishing criteria being color, consistency, taste, and cooking properties. Potatoes are versatile, contain important nutrients, and are easy to grow. Although the consumption of pasta and rice has increased in Germany in recent years, while that of potatoes has decreased, potatoes are still the preferred choice as a source of carbohydrates. A potato consists of about 16 percent carbohydrates, about two percent minerals (especially magnesium, potassium, and calcium), and 0.7 to 1.7 percent dietary fiber. Since the fat content is only about 0.1 percent, you don't have to worry about getting fat from eating potatoes. Other ingredients such as fatty meat and/or cream sauce are responsible for possible weight gain.

Using sweet potatoes

The sweet potato (also called "batate") looks quite similar to the potato, but is not related to it, but belongs to the morning glory family. Originally from the American tropics, sweet potatoes are now grown in many warm regions. They can be used as a substitute for potatoes or as a complement to the much better known root vegetable. The possibilities of preparation are similar to those of potatoes: You can boil, bake, fry or deep-fry sweet potatoes as well. In the United States, baked sweet potatoes are an important part of the turkey menu served on Thanksgiving. Due to their high sugar content, sweet potatoes taste sweet. Nevertheless, sweet potatoes are just as healthy as "regular" potatoes. They also contain hardly any fat, but a high proportion of secondary plant substances and antioxidants. Sweet potatoes contain, among other things, vitamins B2, B6, E, and the minerals manganese and iron.

A tasty lily plant: the onion

The onion gives numerous dishes the desired flavor: The onion aroma is often the finishing touch that shouldn't be missing. The best-known onion in this country is the common or kitchen onion, which has a yellow-brown skin and is versatile. A very mild variant is the vegetable onion, which can grow up to 15 centimeters and can even be eaten stuffed with ground meat. Leeks and spring onions are perfect ingredients for salads, soups or curd cheese. Red onions and shallots offer special flavors and are used, for example, to prepare delicious sauces, fish dishes, and salads. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the onion were already appreciated by the ancient Egyptians. And to this day, onion juice and syrup serve as proven home remedies in case of colds.

Buying vegetables online

There are vegetable varieties such as asparagus and tomatoes that are very sensitive and for which online sales are rather unsuitable. However, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions can be stored easily and transported without problems. Therefore, you can use the time you would have to spend shopping for these foods in the supermarket for something else. Choose the vegetable varieties you prefer in the desired quantity and place your online order. Within a few working days, you will receive the potatoes, onions, and all other products you have selected in the shop delivered directly to your home.

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