Woman's Institute Library of Cookery. Volume 2: Milk, Butter and Cheese; Eggs; Vegetables

by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

7. All varieties of vegetables are grown almost universally. This fact, together with the facts that they mature at different times during the season, according to the climate in which they are grown, and that most varieties can be conveniently shipped, makes the season in which certain fresh vegetables can be obtained much longer than it formerly was. For instance, very early in the season, long before it is possible to have beans, peas, and other vegetables in the North, they are shipped from the extreme South, and as the season advances, they mature farther and farther north. Therefore, they may be constantly supplied to the northern markets until the time when they mature in that locality.

8. In order not to waste vegetables and to have them in the best possible condition when they are desired for preparation, every housewife should realize that the selection and care of vegetables are also important matters to consider. The selection must be learned by familiarity with them, as well as practice in buying, and the housewife must be guided by the suitability of the vegetables and the money she has to spend for them. The care that must be given to them is determined by the kinds that are purchased, some requiring one kind of care in storage and others entirely different attention.

STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND FOOD VALUE

9. STRUCTURE OF VEGETABLES.--Although vegetables vary greatly in composition and consequently in food value, they are similar so far as physical structure is concerned. In general, they consist of a skeleton framework that is made up of cellulose. Their digestible part is composed of tiny cells having thin walls that confine the actual food material in the form of a liquid or semiliquid. As the vegetables grow old, the cellulose material and the cell walls gradually toughen, with the result that old vegetables are less easily made tender than young ones and are not so agreeable to the taste as those which have not grown hard. The total food value of vegetables, as well as of cereals, meats, and, in fact, all foods, varies with the quantity of water and cellulose they contain. Therefore, the vegetables that contain the least coarse material are the ones that have the highest food value.

10. The green color that characterizes many vegetables is due to a substance called chlorophyl. This substance is essential to the normal growth of plants and is present in the correct amount in only those which are properly exposed to the sunlight. Sufficient proof of this is seen in the case of vegetables that form heads, as, for instance, cabbage and head lettuce. As is well known, the outside leaves are green, while the inside ones are practically white. Since it is exposure to the light that produces the green color, a vegetable or plant of any kind can be bleached by merely covering it in order to keep out the sunlight. This procedure also enables the plants to remain more tender than those which have been allowed to grow in the normal way and become green. For instance, the inside leaves of a head of lettuce are always very much more tender than the green outside leaves. In fact, the center of any kind of plant, that is, the leaves and the stem that appear last, are more tender, possess a lighter color, and have a more delicate flavor than the older ones.

11. PROTEIN IN VEGETABLES.--Taken as a whole, vegetables are not high in protein. Some of them contain practically none of this food substance and others contain a comparatively large amount, but the average is rather low. Vegetables that are high in water, such as lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and cucumbers, contain so little protein that the quantity is not appreciable. Such vegetables as potatoes, beets, carrots, etc. contain slightly larger quantities. Dried vegetables, such as beans, peas, and lentils, contain comparatively large amounts of this substance, and for this reason may be substituted for such high-protein foods as meat and fish.

12. The composition of vegetable protein is only slightly different from that of animal protein. In fact, the experiments of scientists show that animal protein may be readily replaced by vegetable protein. One of these proteins is sometimes called vegetable albumin, but the chief protein of vegetables containing the largest amount of this substance, namely, beans, peas, and lentils, is called legumin, from the term legumes, the name of this class of vegetables. It is generally agreed that vegetable protein is not so digestible as animal protein, but this disadvantage is offset by the fact that it does not bring about so much intestinal trouble as does the protein of animal foods and is less likely to cause disturbances that are usually attributed to foods high in this substance. Vegetable protein is affected by heat in much the same way as other protein.

When any of the dry vegetables high in protein are served at a meal, meat should be eliminated, or the result will be an oversupply of protein. As this condition is not only harmful but wasteful, it is one that should receive proper consideration from the housewife.

13. FAT IN VEGETABLES.--As vegetables as a class are low in protein, so are they low in fat. In the case of some vegetables, the quantity of fat they contain is so small that it is never considered in discussing the food value of these vegetables, while in others slightly larger quantities are to be found. However, on the whole, vegetables are so nearly lacking in this food substance that it is necessary to supply fat in their preparation and in the serving of meals in which they are included. This is done in a variety of ways, depending on the nature of the vegetable. For instance, in order that baked beans may take the place of meat entirely, fat in the form of salt pork is usually added when they are prepared. The pork, of course, also supplies a very small amount of protein, but it is not used with the beans for this purpose. Practically all cooked vegetables are served with butter or with a sauce that contains fat. Green vegetables that require no cooking but are served as a salad, are supplied with fat by the salad dressing that is used with them. The fat varies greatly, depending on the kind of dressing used.