CHAPTER XIII.
SUCCULENT VEGETABLES.
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Pro- Carbohy- Calories
Water tein Fat drates Ash per lb.
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Asparagus…….. 93.96 1.83 2.55 2.55 .67 …..
Beet…………. 87.5 1.6 .01 8.8 1.10 215
Cabbage………. 90.52 2.39 .37 3.85 1.40 …..
Carrot……….. 88.2 1.1 .4 8.2 1.00 219
Cauliflower…… 90.82 1.62 .79 4.94 .81 …..
Cucumber……… 95.4 .8 .2 3.1 .5 80
Egg plant…….. 92.93 1.15 .31 4.34 .5 …..
Pumpkin………. 93.39 .91 .12 3.93 .67 …..
Lettuce………. 94.17 1.2 .3 2.9 .9 90
Okra…………. 87.41 1.99 .4 6.04 .74 …..
Onion………… 87.6 1.6 .3 9.9 .6 225
Parsnip………. 83.0 1.6 .5 13.5 1.4 300
Radish……….. 91.8 1.3 .3 8.3 1.0 135
Squash……….. 88.3 1.4 .5 9.0 .8 215
Tomato……….. 94.3 .9 .4 3.9 .5 105
Spinach………. 90.6 2.50 .5 3.8 1.7 …..
Kohlrabi……… 87.1 2.6 .2 7.1 1.7 …..
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Lima beans and shelled peas are generally included in this list, though the young lima beans contain about 20 per cent. starch.
Look at the cabbage analysis for kale and Brussels sprouts. They are much alike.
Most of the vegetables contain from one-half of one per cent. to two per cent. of indigestible fibre, which is not listed above.
This is but a partial list of the succulent vegetables. In addition may be mentioned artichokes of the green or cone variety, chard, string beans, celery, corn on the cob, turnips, turnip tops, lotus, endive, dandelion and garlic.
These vegetables produce but little energy, for most of them are not rich in protein, fat and carbohydrates, but they have considerable salts, which are given in the tables as ash. Their juices help to keep the blood alkaline, and it would be well for people to get into the habit of eating these foods, not only cooked, but some of them raw. The salts are very easily disturbed and in cooking they are somewhat changed. The best salts we get when we consume natural foods, such as raw fruits and raw vegetables and milk.
Another function of the succulent vegetables is to take up space in the stomach. Many like to eat until they feel comfortably full, but if they indulge in concentrated foods to this extent they overeat. The succulent vegetables have the merit of taking up much space without furnishing very much nourishment and they should, therefore, be used as space-fillers. However, they contain enough nourishment to be well worth eating, and most of them are excellent in flavor. This flavor is not appreciated by those who eat much meat and drink much alcohol.
The liberal use of these cooked vegetables has a tendency to prevent constipation, and some of them are called laxative foods, such as stewed onions and spinach.