Fruits and vegetables

11.2.2 Vegetables Vegetables can be broadly classified into several groups including   ~ root (starchy) ~ bulbs   ~ leafy greens ~ cruciferous (flower) Activities Find out the health benefits of different vegetables Tomatoes   Tomatoes contain a red pigment known as lycopene.   Lycopene acts as a powerful antioxidant and is considered to be one of the health-promoting compounds found in tomatoes.   The body is able to absorb more lycopene from tomatoes if they are cooked. Eating tomatoes, especially those that are cooked, may also protect against   ~ prostate cancer   ~ heart disease A study by researchers at Harvard found that, men with high intakes of tomatoes and tomato-based products (such tomato sauce and tomato juice) had a lower risk of prostate cancer. Quick Question

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Activities

1. Match each vegetable (root, leafy greens, cruciferous, bulbs) with its characteristics (Click and drag). Press the "Submit" button to check the answer.
Hint

Characteristics

2. Match each vegetable characteristic (sulfur, lycopene, magnesium, carotenoids, isothyanates) with its protective actions (Click and drag). Press the "Submit" button to check the answer.
Hint

Characteristics

Health benefits of different vegetables Root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, turnips, sweet potato, swede, beetroot) Root vegetables Are starchy Are a good source of carotenoids (some of the red, yellow and orange pigments) Tend to be filling Starch is associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer Possible mechanism some starch escapes digestion is fermented in the large bowel fermented products help to maintain the integrity of the cells lining the bowel Carotenoids like beta-carotene may protect against certain cancers. Leafy greens (spinach, silberbeet, lettuce, endive, vine leaves) Leafy greens are a good source of carotenoids magnesium The carotenoids in leafy greens may protect against vitamin A deficiency Magnesium may protect against diabetes (a low intake of magnesium has been associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes). Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts) Cruciferous vegetables seem to reduce the risk of cataracts contain a class of chemicals known as isothyanates. Isothyanates can stimulate the body to produce its own cancer-fighting enzymes. Bulb Garlic, onions, chives and leeks are rich in sulfur containing compounds. These compounds may provide potential health benefits such as moderately reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and possibly inhibiting cancer development.

Quick Question

Which tomato dish would yield the least amount of lycopene?

canned tomato soup
tomato sauce
freshly chopped tomatoes

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