Vegetables is no doubt the best food we can eat to live a healthy and active life. Vegetables are eaten in a variety of ways as part of main meals and as snacks. The nutrient content of different kinds of vegetables differs considerably. The leafy vegetables are green because of the presence of chlorophyll, a nutrient that can remove toxin from our body. The yellow/orange color of fruits and vegetables is due to carotenoids which has a strong anticancer effect. The red/blue color of vegetables is due to anthocyanins a potent antioxidant.

How to choose Vegetables:

• Avoid damaged, wilted, and bruised vegetables because they have like loss their nutrients.
• Leafy vegetables should be crisp, firm, and of a good color, and root vegetables should be firm and free of brown marks.
• Avoid insect infected vegetables.

Tips on how to preserve the vitamin and mineral content of vegetables:

• If the vegetable require peeling, peel it very thinly as there are vitamins and minerals under the skin which could easily be removed. Young potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables often do not require peeling and can be served with their skins on. It is important to soak it in water with salt to for a minute then place it under running water while cleaning it with your hands to remove remaining dirt and chemicals. The salt does not only clean your vegetable but it can also enhance the taste of the vegetable. Do not soak the vegetable in water for a long time because it will cause water-soluble vitamins and minerals to be lost.
• Prepare vegetables just before cooking to prevent the destruction of vitamins by enzymes. They can be places in a plastic bag in a cool place to prevent the oxidation of vitamins.
• Cook the vegetables in the minimum amount of boiling water. Placing them in boiling water destroys enzymes, and so helps to preserve the vitamins. They should be cooked for the minimum time, with a lid on the pan.
• When vegetables are just tender, they should be drained and served immediately. If kept hot, there will be further losses of vitamin C.

Cooking vegetables: Vegetables, except for leaf types, can be chopped and sautéed in fat, then placed in a covered casserole with a little liquid in the oven, and cooked until tender. The juices should be used for gravy. This conserves most of the flavor, color and shape of the vegetables. Microwave cooking of vegetables in a little water also conserve nutrients.

Effect of heat: Vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, are destroyed by heat, so vegetables should be cooked carefully to keep such losses to a minimum.

Storage of Vegetables:

• Potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool, dry place to prevent them from becoming moldy, and to stop them sprouting in warmth. Most root vegetables should be stored in a same way.
• Leaf vegetables lose vitamin C and water rapidly during storage and should be stored for the minimum time in a cool place, in a plastic bag.