Farmer's market showing vegetables for sale in Lhasa, Tibet

Fruit and vegetable output in 2004

The term "vegetable" generally refers to edible parts of plants. Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are Markets usually held out-of-doors in public spaces where Farmers can sell produce Lhasa, ( in English l̥ʰásə or in Tibetan; Chinese: 拉萨 Pinyin: Lāsà sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. In general terms eating (formally ingestion) is the process of consuming Food to provide for the Nutritional needs of an Animal, particularly Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The definition of the word is traditional rather than scientific, and is somewhat arbitrary and subjective, as it is determined by individual cultural customs of cooking and food preparation. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding

Generally speaking, a herbaceous plant or plant part which is regularly eaten as unsweetened or salted food by humans is considered to be a vegetable. A herbaceous plant (or in botanical use a Herb) is a Plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Mushrooms, though belonging to the biological kingdom Fungi, are also generally considered to be vegetables, at least in the retail industry. A mushroom is the fleshy Spore -bearing Fruiting body of a Fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source In biological Taxonomy, a kingdom or regnum is a Taxonomic rank in either (historically the highest rank or (in the new three-domain system A fungus (ˈfʌŋgəs is a eukaryotic Organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (ˈfʌndʒaɪ ^[1][2] Nuts, seeds, grains, herbs, spices and culinary fruits (see below), are usually not considered to be vegetables, even though they are all parts of plants. Nut is a general term for the large dry oily Seeds or Fruit of some Plants. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like A spice is a dried Seed, Fruit, Root, Bark or vegetative substance used in Nutritionally insignificant quantities as a Food additive The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. (There are of course numerous exceptions to this, including tomatoes, corn, etc. )

In general, vegetables are regarded by cooks as being suitable for savory or salted dishes, rather than sweet dishes, although there are many exceptions, such as pumpkin pie. Sweet is one of the five Basic tastes and is almost universally regarded as a pleasurable experience Pumpkin Pie is a traditional North American sweet Dessert usually made in the Fall and early Winter, especially for Thanksgiving and

Some vegetables, such as carrots, bell peppers and celery, are eaten either raw or cooked; while others, such as potato, are traditionally eaten only when cooked.

Is it a fruit or a vegetable?

A simplified Venn diagram shows the overlap in the terminology of "vegetables" in the culinary sense and "fruits" in the botanical sense. Venn diagrams or set diagrams are Diagrams that show all hypothetically possible Logical relations between a finite collection of sets (groups

The word "vegetable" is a culinary term, not a botanical term. Culinary art is the Art of Cooking. The word "culinary" is defined as something related to or connected with cooking or Kitchens A culinarian Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life The word "fruit" on the other hand can be a culinary term or a botanical term, and these two usages are quite different.

Botanically speaking, fruits are fleshy reproductive organs of plants, the ripened ovaries containing one or many seeds. In the Flowering plants an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or Gynoecium. Thus, many botanical fruits are not edible at all, and some are actually extremely poisonous. In a culinary sense however, the word "fruit" is only applied to those botanical fruits which are edible, and which are considered to be a sweet or dessert food such as strawberries, peaches, plums, etc.

In contrast to this, a number of edible botanical fruits, including the tomato, the eggplant, and the bell pepper are not considered to be a sweet or dessert food, are not routinely used with sugar, but instead are almost always used as part of a savory dish, and are salted. The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal ( Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades "Green pepper" redirects here For green peppercorns see Black pepper. This is the reason that they are labeled as "vegetables". Thus a plant part may scientifically be referred to as a "fruit", even though it is used in cooking or food preparation as a vegetable. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology.

The question "The tomato: is it a fruit, or is it a vegetable?" found its way into the United States Supreme Court in 1893. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. The court ruled unanimously in Nix v. Hedden that a tomato is correctly identified as, and thus taxed as, a vegetable, for the purposes of the 1883 Tariff Act on imported produce. Nix v Hedden, 149 US 304 ( 1893) was a case in which the United States Supreme Court addressed whether a Tomato was classified The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family The court acknowledged that botanically speaking, a tomato is a fruit.

A list of vegetables defined as different parts of plants

• Flower bud: broccoli, cauliflower, globe artichokes
• Seeds: Corn
• Leaves: kale, collard greens, spinach, beet greens, turnip greens, endive
• Leaf sheaths: leeks
• Buds: Brussel sprouts
• Stems of leaves: celery, rhubarb (sometimes called a fruit because sweet pies are made from it)
• Stem of a plant when it is still a young shoot: asparagus
• Underground stem of a plant or tuber: potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potato (often incorrectly called a yam in the USA), also the true yam
• Whole immature plants: bean sprouts
• Roots: carrots, parsnips, beets, radishes, turnips
• Bulbs: onions, garlic, shallots

• Fruits in the botanical sense: tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, capsicums (bell peppers and hot peppers), eggplant, tomatillos, christophene, okra, also the following:
  • Legumes: peas, beans
  • Whole unripe seed pods of legumes: green beans, snap peas

Etymology

The word "vegetable" is still sometimes used as an archaic literary term for any plant: vegetable matter, vegetable kingdom. Broccoli is a plant of the Cabbage family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. The Globe Artichoke ( Cynara cardunculus) Globe Artichokes are known to have been cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century and A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied Kale or Borecole is a form of Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) green in color in which the central leaves do not Collards, also called borekale (from the Dutch boerenkool (farmers' kale are various loose-leafed Cultivars of Brassica oleracea ( Acephala Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea) is a Flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. Endive (ˈɛndiv or /ˈɛndɪv/ Cichorium endivia is a Leaf vegetable belonging to the daisy family. The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var porrum (L also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs along with the Onion and In Botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic Shoot and normally occurs in the Axil of a Leaf or at the tip of the stem This article is about the plant For the pencil game see Sprouts (game. A stem is one of two main structural axes of a Vascular plant. See also Wild celery Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae, and yielding celery and Celeriac Rheum is a genus of Perennial plants that grows from thick short Rhizomes The genus is in the family Polygonaceae, and includes the vegetable A stem is one of two main structural axes of a Vascular plant. Asparagus officinalis is a flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus from which the Vegetable known as asparagus is obtained Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store Nutrients They are used by Plants to overwinter and regrow the next year The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae The Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus) also called the sunroot or sunchoke or earth apple or topinambur, is a species The sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) is a Dicotyledonous plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae) ||-||} Mung bean, also known as green bean, mung, moong, mash bean, munggo or monggo, green gram, golden Root vegetables are plant roots used as Vegetables Other underground plants are often erroneously called root vegetables The carrot ( Daucus carota subsp sativus, Etymology: Middle French carotte, from Late Latin carōta, from Greek karōton The parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa) is a Root vegetable related to the Carrot. The beet or beetroot is a Flowering plant species ( Beta vulgaris) in the family Chenopodiaceae. The radish ( Raphanus sativus) is an edible Root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe in pre- For similar vegetables also called "turnip" see Turnip (disambiguation. A bulb is an underground vertical Shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases that are used as Food Storage organs by Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan Allium sativum L, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the Onion family Alliaceae. The term shallot is used to describe two different Allium species of plant The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family The cucumber ( Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the Gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to the Mexico and Central America, also called marrows depending Pumpkin is a Gourd -like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds Capsicum is a Genus of Plants from the nightshade family ( Solanaceae) native to the Americas, where it was cultivated for thousands The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal ( Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades The tomatillo ( Physalis philadelphica) is a Plant of the Solanaceae ( Nightshade) family bearing small spherical and green or The chayote ( Sechium edule) also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophine or Okra ( American English:, British English,) also known as lady's finger, bhindi ( Hindustani) and gumbo, is a A legume is a Plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae or a Fruit of these specific plants A pea (inaccurately called a '''sweet pea''' by food distubutors is most commonly the small spherical Seed or the seed-pod of the Legume Pisum Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal Snap peas (also known as Sugarsnap peas, or Mange-touts in Britain are a Cultivar group of edible-podded Peas that differ from Snow ^[3] The word comes from the Latin vegetabilis (animated) and from vegetare (enliven), which is derived from vegetus (active), in reference to the process of a plant growing. This in turn derives from the Proto-Indo-European base *weg- or *wog-, which is also the source of the English wake, meaning "not sleep". The word vegetable was first recorded in print in English in the 14th century. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The meaning of "plant grown for food" was not established until the 18th century. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system ^[4]

In the diet

Vegetables are eaten in a variety of ways, as part of main meals and as snacks. For the coarsely ground flour see Flour. A meal is an instance of Eating, specifically one that takes place at a specific time and includes A snack food (commonly called a snack) is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main Meal of the day – Breakfast The nutritional content of vegetables varies considerably, though generally they contain a small proportion of protein and fat,^[5][6] and a relatively high proportion of vitamins, provitamins, dietary minerals, fiber and carbohydrates. Nutrition (also called nourishment or aliment) is the provision to cells and Organisms of the materials necessary (in the form of food to support Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water A vitamin is an Organic compound required as a Nutrient in tiny amounts by an Organism. A provitamin is a substance that can be converted into a Vitamin by animal tissues. Dietary minerals are the Chemical elements required by living Organisms other than the four elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most Many vegetables also contain phytochemicals which may have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. Phytochemicals are plant-derived chemical compounds under scientific research for their potential health-promoting properties but with unproved benefits An antioxidant is a Molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules Antiseptics (from Greek αντί - anti, '"against" + σηπτικός - septikos, "putrefactive" are antimicrobial An antifungal drug is Medication used to treat fungal Infections such as Athlete's foot, Ringworm, Candidiasis (thrush Antiviral drugs are a class of Medication used specifically for treating viral Infections Like Antibiotics for Bacteria, specific antivirals Anticarcinogenic is to do with preventing or delaying the development of Cancer. ^[7][8]

Color

Vegetables (and some fruit) for sale on a street in Guntur, India

The green color of leafy vegetables is due to the presence of the green pigment chlorophyll. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Guntur ( Telugu: గుంటూరు Urdu: گنٹور, Hindi: गुंटूर India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Green is a Color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a Wavelength of roughly 520–570- nm. For the drug referred to as "pigment" see Black tar heroin. Chlorophyll is a green Pigment found in most Plants Algae and Cyanobacteria. Chlorophyll is affected by pH and changes to olive green in acid conditions, and bright green in alkaline conditions. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are In Chemistry, an alkali (from Arabic: Al-Qaly القلي القالي) is a basic, ionic salt of an Alkali metal Some of the acids are released in steam during cooking, particularly if cooked without a cover. Steaming is a method of Cooking using Steam. Steaming is considered a relatively healthier cooking technique and capable to cook almost all kinds of food Cooking is the process of preparing Food by applying Heat, selecting measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible

The yellow/orange colors of fruits and vegetables are due to the presence of carotenoids, which are also affected by normal cooking processes or changes in pH. Yellow is the Color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M (long and medium wavelength Cone cells of the Retina about equally The colour orange occurs Carotenoids are organic Pigments that are naturally occurring in Chromoplasts of plants and some other photosynthetic Organisms

The red/blue coloring of some fruits and vegetables (e. Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength Blue is a Colour, the Perception of which is evoked by g. blackberries and red cabbage) are due to anthocyanins, which are sensitive to changes in pH. The BlackBerry is a Wireless Handheld device introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager The Red Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var capitata f rubra) is a sort of Cabbage, also known as Red Kraut or Blue Kraut Not to be confused with Anthocyanidin, their sugar free counterparts When pH is neutral, the pigments are purple, when acidic, red, and when alkaline, blue. Purple is a general term for the range of shades of Color occurring between Red and Blue. These pigments are very water soluble.

Storage

Many root and non-root vegetables that grow underground can be stored through winter in a root cellar or other similarly cool, dark and dry place to prevent mold, greening and sprouting. Root vegetables are plant roots used as Vegetables Other underground plants are often erroneously called root vegetables Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox A root cellar is a structure originating before the advent of Electricity to store vegetables WikipediaManual_of_Style#National_varieties_of_English --> Molds (or The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Sprouting is the practice of soaking draining and then rinsing seeds at regular intervals until they Germinate, or sprout Care should be taken in understanding the properties and vulnerabilities of the particular roots to be stored. These vegetables can last through to early spring and be nearly as nutritious as when fresh. Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. Nutrition (also called nourishment or aliment) is the provision to cells and Organisms of the materials necessary (in the form of food to support Vegetable and Fruit Produce, once harvested, is subject to an active process of Decay.

During storage, leafy vegetables lose moisture and vitamin C degrades rapidly. They should be stored for as short a time as possible in a cool place, in a container or plastic bag. A plastic bag or pouch is a type of flexible Packaging made of thin flexible plastic film

See also

• List of vegetables
• Perennial vegetable
• Vegetarianism
• Veganism
• Herbivore
• Market gardening

Notes

External links

• UC Vegetable & Research Information Center
• Michigan Vegetable Information Network
• Growing Vegetables