Actually, there are no vegetables. Here’s why you should be eating them anyway

The rumors are true: the greens aren’t real, botanically speaking, anyway.

Although the term fruit is botanically recognized as anything containing a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term for many types of edible plants.

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You might think you know what carrots and beets are. Carrots, beets and other vegetables that grow in the ground are the true roots of plants. Lettuce and spinach are the leaves, while celery and asparagus are the stems, and vegetables such as broccoli, artichokes and cauliflower are immature flowers, according to Steve Reiners, professor of horticulture at the University of ‘Cornell Agriculture and Life Sciences.

As for produce that grows from flowers, such as peppers and tomatoes, the crops in question are botanically classified as fruits, Reiners added. Cucumbers, squash, aubergines and avocados are also classified as fruits because of their anatomy, according to the European Food Information Council.

What is a vegetable?

The term plant has no definite definition when it comes to botany. However, in horticulture, the science of garden cultivation, a vegetable is defined as any herbaceous plant, a fleshy plant that completes its life cycle in a growing season in which a part is eaten cooked or raw, during main part of the meal. , and not as a snack or dessert, Reiners said.

The legal definition of a vegetable versus a fruit at least in the United States was determined during a 19th century US Supreme Court case that concluded that the tomato is a vegetable.

Although vegetables are just the roots, stems and leaves of plants, experts do not recommend eating just any root, stem and leaf.

An example is rhubarb. The fleshy stem is the edible part of the plant, but the leaves are poisonous, Reiners said. Stay safe by eating plants that grocery stores call vegetables.

We know that vegetables are healthy. We know the vitamin content, we know the mineral content, Reiners said. We know how much fiber is in everything.

We also know that the vegetables you grow or buy at a farmer’s market or grocery store are safe to eat, she said.

eat your vegetables

By understanding the different parts of vegetables and the nutrients they carry, people can eat well, according to Sherri Stastny, a registered dietitian and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at North Dakota State University.

A head of broccoli is a great source of nutrients, but the stalk of the green, which is most often thrown away, is also rich in fiber and nutrients, Stastny said. Regular consumption of floral products such as broccoli and cauliflower is associated with a decreased risk of cancer, he added.

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in America, and we know that if you eat enough fruits and vegetables, you lower your risk of heart disease, and that goes along with obesity, diabetes, and all these other chronic diseases, right? said Stastny. .

It’s important to eat a variety of vegetables, as each one will have different beneficial nutrients, she added. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are great sources of certain phytonutrients, natural plant nutrients that are beneficial to human health, helping to maintain sharp eye vision, while carrots will help strengthen night vision

If you think about the richest, dark, colorful vegetables, that’s where you’ll find those (nutrients), Stastny said, while potassium-rich vegetables and fruits, such as potatoes, squash and pumpkin, could help reduce and maintain the blood pressure

Start them young

For parents looking to get young children to eat their fruits and vegetables, breaking down the anatomy of the plant while describing colors, taste, and texture could be a fun and educational way to introduce nutrient-dense foods to the first explorers.

Start them young, Stastny said. If you introduce children to vegetables at a younger age, they are more likely to eat vegetables throughout their lives and therefore lower their risk of chronic disease.”