What role do vegetables play in human nutrition? Medicinal properties of vegetables

To maintain normal human life, as is known, in addition to water, a whole group of nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts.

Along with the main food products, which are bread, meat, dairy and other products, potatoes, vegetables and fruits play an extremely important role in the human diet. They serve as the main suppliers of vitamins and other biologically active substances, easily digestible carbohydrates, pectin, mineral salts, organic acids, fiber, tannins and aromatic substances.

Certain biologically active substances are inherent in each type of vegetables and fruits: some of them improve metabolic processes, neutralize acids formed during the digestion of meat and dairy foods, normalize blood pressure, others strengthen the walls of blood vessels, give them elasticity, reduce cholesterol in the blood and fluid in the body.

In addition to their nutritional value, potatoes, vegetables and fruits have many medicinal properties, which have been known since ancient times.

Currently, their use for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes is put on a scientific basis.

The diverse impact of vegetables and fruits consumed in food on the human body is manifested primarily in the regulation of the activity of the digestive and cardiovascular systems, in maintaining the acid-base balance in the body. It prevents the development of a number of diseases, especially atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular disorders, as well as impaired fat and salt metabolism. The effect of fresh vegetables and fruits on the digestive organs is felt immediately after ingestion and is manifested in increased secretory activity of the digestive glands.

The importance of various vitamins is especially multifaceted. For example, provitamin A (carotene) is a growth vitamin. There is a lot of it in carrots, spinach, tomatoes, onion leaves, parsley, in the fruits of sea buckthorn, plums, rose hips. In the human body, carotene turns into vitamin A, with a lack of which eye disease (night blindness) develops, and the body's resistance to other diseases decreases.

B group vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B8, PP, etc.) contribute to the metabolism in the body. Lack of vitamin B1 is characterized by a sharp disorder of the nervous and cardiac activity. Lack of vitamin B2, which is part of a number of enzymes, leads to growth retardation or weight loss, weakness, weakening of vision and the formation of cataracts, skin and nervous disorders. Vitamin PP takes an active part in metabolism. With its deficiency, the functions of the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system are disturbed. Sources of vitamins B1, B2, PP are potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, onions, apples, pears.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) protects against scurvy, nervous system disorders and general prostration. Its main sources are: rose hips, sea buckthorn, black currants, strawberries, apples, peppers, kohlrabi, white cabbage, horseradish, lettuce, spinach, onion leaves, dill, parsley, potatoes. Cabbage juice contains the recently discovered vitamin U, which helps treat stomach and duodenal ulcers.

Many vegetables contain aromatic substances that increase appetite, promote the absorption of food (dill, tarragon, cumin, basil, marjoram, savory, parsley, celery, garlic, onion, etc.), phytoncides that have a detrimental effect on pathogens (radish, horseradish, pepper, onion, garlic).

Fruits, berries, vegetables, both fresh and processed, must be included in the weekly diet of a person. Fruit and vegetable salads, side dishes and seasonings are good for any dish. Many food products from vegetables and fruits have dietary properties and are of particular importance in baby food. From the age of 5–6 months, for the proper development of the child, in addition to mother's milk, it is recommended to introduce vegetable puree, fruit and berry kissels and vegetable soups into the diet, gradually accustoming the child to the consumption of finely pureed fresh fruits and vegetables.

Particular attention should be paid to the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in winter and spring, when there is an acute lack of vitamins in the body. To prevent beriberi during this period, fresh apples, onion leaves, parsley, greenhouse or room distillation celery, fruit and vegetable juices, salads from fresh and sauerkraut and carrots, etc. should be included in the diet.

The Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR developed and scientifically substantiated the norms of annual consumption of fruits and vegetables per person: potatoes - 110 kg, vegetables - 122, gourds - 31, fruits and berries - 106 kg.

Despite the significant production of fruits and vegetables in the Rostov region, this level has not yet been reached. In addition, there is a very strong seasonal fluctuation in the consumption of vegetables and fruits - an excess in the second half of summer and autumn and a shortage in other seasons, especially in spring.

The value of vegetables in nutrition is very high because they are a valuable source of vitamins, carbohydrates, organic acids, mineral salts, various flavoring substances, without which food becomes tasteless and of little use. The main advantage of vegetables is that they can be used to prepare various, healthy and tasty dishes, side dishes and snacks that are easily digestible by the human body and, in addition, contribute to the better absorption of any other food consumed with vegetables.

Vegetables occupy one of the leading places in the diet, and catering establishments are obliged to offer consumers the widest possible choice of excellent, deliciously prepared dishes and vegetable side dishes. Individual types of vegetables vary greatly in their merits. For example, potato rich in starch White cabbage- vitamin C, carrot- provitamin A (carotene), beet- sugar. There is very little fat in vegetables, only 0.1 to 0.5%. Of the minerals, we note the potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium and sodium contained in vegetables.

Garlic and onion They have a predominantly taste value and are very widely used in cooking. These vegetables, as well as horseradish and some others, are rich in phytoncides - special bactericidal substances that destroy pathogenic microbes. Therefore, it is necessary to use not a monotonous, but a diverse assortment of vegetables for the preparation of vegetable dishes and side dishes.

The cook must take care to preserve as much as possible the nutrients and vitamins found in vegetables. Vitamins are best preserved in fresh, raw vegetables immediately after they are harvested. Therefore, all kinds of salads from raw vegetables are very useful: from cabbage, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, green onions. Advances in the canning industry make it possible not only to drastically reduce seasonal fluctuations in vegetable consumption, but also make it possible to supply catering establishments with selected, highest quality vegetables at any time of the year, and these vegetables are preserved in such a way that all their nutrients and flavors are almost completely preserved. .

The cook should know that vitamin C is destroyed by prolonged heat treatment of vegetables, contact with atmospheric oxygen and improper storage. When vegetable soups, cabbage soup, borscht are cooked in meat, fish or mushroom broths, vegetables are put in ready-made boiling broths, and vegetables that boil faster are put only when vegetables that require longer heat treatment are almost ready.

The dishes in which vegetables are boiled must be tightly closed with a lid during the entire cooking time - this makes it difficult for vegetables to come into contact with atmospheric oxygen. Vegetables should not be cooked long before serving, because when a prepared vegetable dish is stored for a long time, even on low heat or when it is heated, vitamins are destroyed.

Importance of vegetables in human nutrition

1. What is the importance of vegetables in human nutrition?

Vegetables are the most valuable food product. The irreplaceability of vegetables in nutrition is determined by the fact that they are the main suppliers of carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts, phytoncides, essential oils and dietary fiber necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Plant foods are high energy foods. In the process of photosynthesis, plants accumulate solar energy and, carrying out a number of chemical transformations, produce adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), which is used to synthesize their proteins, carbohydrates, fats, putting some of them in reserve. In the human body, there is a reverse process of disintegration of the energy bonds of plant foods, due to which carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that are already specific to humans are formed.

Vegetables are not only indispensable food products that support human vitality, but also an effective remedy recognized by folk and scientific medicine. The nutritional value and medicinal properties of vegetables are due to the presence in them of chemicals of various composition and structure, which have a wide pharmacological spectrum of action on the body and give dishes an original taste and aroma.

Vegetable food has a predominantly alkaline reaction, and its presence in the diet establishes an optimal acid-base balance in the human body.

According to the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, the daily human need for protein is 80-100 g, for carbohydrates - 400-500 g, for organic acids - 2-3 mg, for minerals - from 0.1 mg (iodine) to 6000 mg ( potassium), in vitamins - from 0.2 mg (folic acid - vitamin B 9) to 100 mg (ascorbic acid - vitamin C).

Every day a person needs about 400 g of vegetables. The scientifically based annual rate of vegetable consumption for a person, depending on the region of residence, is from 126 to 164 kg, including various types of cabbage - 35-55 kg, cucumbers - 10-13 kg, tomatoes - 25-32 kg, onions - 7- 10 kg, carrots - 6-10 kg, table beets - 5-10 kg, eggplants - 2-5 kg, sweet peppers - 3-6 kg, green peas and vegetable beans - 3-8 kg, gourds - 20-30 kg, other vegetables - 3–7 kg.

The ratio and composition of vegetables in the daily diet of the population depends on climatic conditions, place of residence, season, type of activity and age of the person.

2. What is in vegetables?

Vegetables, inferior in protein and fat content to animal products, are the main supplier of carbohydrates and mineral salts. Vegetables contain biologically active substances, natural antioxidants, trace elements, vitamins, dietary fiber, enzymes, and structured water. Dietary fibers are good sorbents for removing various toxins.

Vegetables are juicy foods. Fresh vegetables have a high (65–96%) water content and a low (4–35%) dry matter content, most of which is soluble in water.

3. What is the role of water in plants?

Water gives vegetables freshness, juiciness, and is a solvent for many organic substances. The nutrients dissolved in it (sugars, acids, nitrogenous, mineral substances) are better absorbed by the human body. The high water content in vegetables causes their low energy value (calorie content).

Despite their high water content, vegetables are of great importance in the human diet. This is explained by the fact that in a small amount of dry matter there are many biologically important compounds.

4. What is the role of carbohydrates in plants?

Carbohydrates are the most common organic compounds in plants and form the basis of plant products. Carbohydrates accumulate in roots, tubers, seeds, fruits and are then used as reserve substances. In plant products, solar energy is converted into chemical energy, and then through a chain of reactions in the human body it is again converted into carbon dioxide, water, glucose and free energy.

Disaccharides and polysaccharides are broken down in the human body, forming glucose and fructose. The oxidation of glucose is accompanied by the formation of adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), which is a source of energy. It is she who ensures the continuity of all physiological functions, above all - the higher nervous activity.

An important component of human nutrition is indigestible carbohydrates, mainly cellulose (fiber), which form the basis of plant cell membranes. Fiber helps to move food through the digestive tract, remove cholesterol from the body, bind certain trace elements, reduce appetite, create a feeling of satiety, and normalize the activity of beneficial intestinal microflora. Lack of fiber in the diet leads to the development of obesity.

Sweet peppers, eggplant, carrots, vegetable beans, chicory salad, parsley root are rich in fiber.

5. What is the role of proteins in plants and which plants are rich in proteins?

Protein metabolism is the basis of all physiological processes in a living organism. In the human body, proteins account for 15-20% of the wet weight. The source of protein for humans are products of animal and vegetable origin.

Proteins make up the bulk of the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant and animal cells. All enzymes are proteins, proteins are antibodies that provide immunity, many hormones, proteins are part of hemoglobin and blood plasma. Proteins are polymeric molecules, which include 20 different amino acids, some of which can be synthesized by the body (essential), and some must be supplied with food (essential).

The most important and most often deficient amino acids are lysine, tryptophan and methionine. Lysine in the human body is closely related to the processes of hematopoiesis, the synthesis of alkaloids. With its participation in the bones, calcium is accumulated. Most lysine is found in carrots, vegetable beans, spinach, cauliflower and kohlrabi.

Tryptophan is involved in the formation of hemoglobin and serum proteins necessary for the synthesis of vitamin PP. Tryptophan is found in large quantities in the protein of vegetable beans, green peas, and beets.

Methionine is necessary for the synthesis of choline, adrenaline and other biologically active substances in the body. Its deficiency leads to metabolic disorders, primarily lipids, and is the cause of severe diseases of the stomach and liver. Methionine is found in carrots, beets, white cabbage, cauliflower, radish, parsley.

Of great value are specific proteins - enzymes that play the role of catalysts in the process of digestion. Enzymes are stored only in fresh vegetables. In the process of drying, heat treatment and due to improper storage, enzymes are destroyed, so only fresh vegetables are the most beneficial for humans.

The activity of peroxidase can be used to judge the overall redox process in the body. This enzyme is present in most vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, radish, radish, and carrots are especially rich in it.

The largest amount of amylase, which accelerates the breakdown of starch, was found in vegetable beans and peas. Sucrose and raffinase stimulate the breakdown of disaccharides and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. Most of these enzymes are found in carrots and beets.

6. Which vegetables contain the most pectins?

Pectins are gelled intercellular substances consisting of high molecular weight carbohydrates. In the digestive tract, pectins are not digested and absorbed by the body, but they are sorbents of toxic substances and help reduce blood cholesterol. A large amount of pectin contains parsley (root crops), sweet pepper, eggplant, watermelon, carrots.

7. What vitamins are found in vegetables?

Vitamins are the most valuable components of vegetables. Vitamins accelerate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, mineral salts, fats, normalize water metabolism. The need for vitamins increases with increased physical and mental work, in winter, with diseases. The most common deficiency of vitamins C, A, B 1, B 2, PP, sometimes B 9 and B 6.

?Vitamin C participates in the exchange of nucleic acids, increases the elasticity and strength of blood vessels, the body's resistance to infectious diseases, prevents scurvy. It has an antitoxic effect on toxic substances. Participates in the processes of hematopoiesis, promotes faster healing and fusion of bones. The need for vitamin C is 50-70 mg per day.

The most rich in vitamin C are sweet peppers, parsley leaves, lettuce, dill, onion leaves.

?Vitamin A(retinol) belongs to the group of fat-soluble vitamins found in animal products. In vegetable products there is a precursor of retinol - carotene (in the intestine, under the influence of a specific enzyme, carotene is converted into vitamin A). Vitamin A is involved in redox processes, increases the glycogen content in the muscles of the heart and liver, ensures the normal state of the epithelium, cornea and lacrimal glands of the eye. The need for vitamin A is provided by 3–5 mg of carotene. Spinach, parsley leaves, onions, dill, sweet peppers, tomatoes, carrots are very rich in carotene. Compounds with A-vitamin activity can accumulate in the human body in the summer and last up to a year.

Vegetables are a rich source of B vitamins:

Vitamin B 1 (thiamine) is part of many enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Insufficient intake of vitamin B 1 leads to the accumulation of products of incomplete oxidation of glucose in the blood and tissues and to diseases of the nervous system. The largest amount of vitamin B 1 in vegetable peas, spinach, radish, radish.

Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) is part of redox enzymes - flavoproteins. Accelerates the conversion of fats and carbohydrates in the body, enhances the accumulation of glycogen in the liver, improves protein absorption. The daily requirement is 2-2.5 mg. There is a lot of vitamin B 2 in spinach (0.25%) - only two times lower than in chicken yolk, the richest source of this vitamin.

Derivatives of vitamin B 6 (teridoxin) are necessary for the conversion of amino acids. Vitamin B6 deficiency usually occurs when the intestinal flora is suppressed by antibiotic treatment. Vitamin B 6 plays an important role in the functioning of the nervous system. The most rich in vitamin B 6 beans are beans and peas.

Vitamin B 9 (folic acid) is necessary for a person in case of damage to the hematopoietic system as a result of radiation sickness, in case of poisoning, the use of drugs, especially antibiotics. Almost all green vegetables are sources of folic acid: spinach, beet leaves, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, melon, watermelon.

? Vitamin E(tocopherol) - a powerful biological antioxidant, it protects the eyes, skin, liver from environmental pollution, protects red blood cells from harmful oxidation. Vegetable beans, vegetable peas, parsley, spinach, lettuce are rich in vitamin E.

? Vitamin P(rutin, citrine) combines a large group of biologically active substances - bioflavonoids with powerful antioxidant properties. It increases the strength of the walls of the smallest blood vessels, regulates their permeability and the activity of the thyroid gland, prevents and treats hemorrhages in various areas of the eye. The activity of rutin increases in the presence of ascorbic acid. Vitamin deficiency leads to an increase in capillary permeability, resulting in pinpoint intradermal hemorrhages. There is a lot of vitamin P in all vegetables that have a red and purple color, including: sorrel, vegetable peas, dill, radishes, tomatoes, red sweet peppers, parsley, beets.

?Vitamin PP(nicotinic acid) belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. This acid is part of the redox enzymes - dehydrogenases. Vitamin PP plays an important role in normalizing blood cholesterol levels and liver function. The source of nicotinic acid are tomatoes, carrots, spinach, onions.

?Vitamins of group K(derivatives of naphthoquinones) are a group of antihemorrhagic factors necessary for normal blood clotting. Spinach, cauliflower, tomato, carrots are the richest in vitamin.

?Vitamin U(methyl-methionine) is used for the prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers, chronic gastritis. Vitamin found in beets, parsley, cauliflower.

8. What role do minerals play in the human body?

In order for the human body to develop normally and be healthy, it needs all the vitamins and minerals that, in combination, complement and help each other, for example:

Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb and use calcium and phosphorus;

Zinc is required for use and transport of vitamin A to various organs;

Vitamin B 2 activates the activity of vitamin B 6;

Vitamins B 1, B 2, B 6 and B 12 work together to extract energy from carbohydrates, proteins, fats. The absence of one of the vitamins in this group will slow down the rest;

The body needs pantothenic acid to produce vitamin D;

The mineral selenium enhances the antioxidant capacity of vitamin E;

For the assimilation of vitamin B 12 from food, a certain amount of vitamin B is needed;

If the food contains iron and vitamin C at the same time, then iron is absorbed better.

9. What groups of minerals are found in plants?

Vegetables are an indispensable source of minerals in the body. Minerals in vegetables are in the form of easily digestible salts of mineral and organic acids. The minerals of meat and fish products during digestion give acidic compounds, and vegetables contain physiologically alkaline salts. The predominance of these salts in food ensures a normal metabolism and an alkaline reaction of the blood.

Vegetables contain more than 50 chemical elements. Mineral substances necessary for a person are divided into 3 groups:

Macronutrients required by the body in significant quantities (sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron);

Trace elements needed in very small quantities (copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, bromine, cobalt, nickel);

Ultramicroelements contained in vegetables in very low concentrations and are toxic if consumed in large quantities (mercury, lead, radium, rubidium, silver).

10. What is the role of macronutrients in the human body? What vegetables have more macronutrients?

?Calcium participates in the construction of bone tissue, in the processes of blood coagulation and the regulation of water and salt metabolism, excitability of the nervous system, muscle contraction, and the action of a number of hormones. Calcium accounts for up to 1.5% of a person's body weight. Calcium is found in the bones and is their structural element, where renewal processes occur constantly: in children after 1–2 years, with an increase in age after 10–15 years, and in the elderly even more slowly. Therefore, the more calcium enters the body, the better the condition of the bone tissue.

It has been established that with cooking and frying, organic calcium and other elements and vitamins pass into an inorganic form (more than 60%) and, entering the human body, contribute to salt deposits.

The average daily requirement for calcium is 0.6–1.2 g. Parsley, dill (220–240 mg), kale, onion leaves, and lettuce are rich in calcium.

? Potassium- a vital intracellular element, the content of which determines the indicators of water-salt metabolism, the activity of a number of enzymes, the transmission of nerve impulses, and the level of blood pressure. The daily requirement of an adult for potassium is 2–3.5 g. Spinach, parsley, celery, kohlrabi, Beijing and Chinese cabbage are rich in potassium.

? Sodium participates in water-salt metabolism, in the creation of blood buffering, regulation of nervous and muscular activity, blood pressure. Of great importance for water-salt metabolism is the ratio of potassium and sodium ions. An excess of sodium ions leads to an increase in blood pressure, the development of atherosclerosis. The daily requirement for sodium is 4–6 g. The most important source of sodium is table salt, as well as salted and pickled vegetables.

? Phosphorus necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, the brain, is involved in the construction of bone tissue. The human body contains about 600–700 g of phosphorus. Phosphorus is a constituent of proteins, fats, nucleic acids. Phosphoric compounds (adenosine phosphoric acid and creatine phosphate) are energy accumulators, plant life support regulators, and activators of human mental and physical activity. In vegetables, phosphorus is found in the form of phosphoric acid and organic salts - phosphates. Green peas, watercress, tomatoes, parsley (root crops), celery (leaves) have the greatest amount of phosphorus.

? Iron it is very important for the functioning of the circulatory system, the formation of hemoglobin, the components of the respiratory chain (cytochromes) and the activity of a number of enzymes. Iron deficiency leads to the development of severe anemia and anemia. The human body contains about 4 g of iron. The daily requirement is 10–15 mg.

Iron is most easily absorbed from fresh vegetables due to the presence of ascorbic acid in them. Spinach, sorrel, cauliflower, green peas, vegetable beans, lettuce, radish are rich in iron.

11. What is the role of trace elements in the human body and which vegetables contain more trace elements?

Trace elements make up only 0.04-0.07% of a person's body weight in total, but normal growth and development is impossible without them.

? Copper necessary for normal life, proper metabolism, hematopoiesis, hemoglobin biosynthesis, and the activity of the central nervous system. It stimulates the production of pituitary hormones. The body of an adult contains 2 g of copper, the daily requirement for copper is 100 mg. From vegetables, pumpkin, radish, eggplant, tomato, carrot, beet, and legumes stand out with a high content of copper.

? zinc- an important trace element that is part of the hormone insulin, which regulates the normal course of carbohydrate metabolism. The role of zinc in metabolism is so great that when it is deficient, severe diseases occur: infertility, dwarfism, various forms of anemia, dermatitis, increased tumor growth, nail pathology, hair loss.

The daily requirement for zinc is 20 to 30 mg. The roots of chicory salad, green peas, cauliflower, vegetable beans, and carrots are the richest in zinc.

?Sulfur is part of amino acids (cystine, cysteine ​​and methionine) and cell proteins, as well as some vitamins, hormones and biologically active substances. The required concentration of sulfur ensures the synthesis of insulin, an important hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism. The daily human need for sulfur is 4-5 g. Among the vegetables with a high sulfur content: vegetable beans, green peas, onions, carrots, horseradish.

?Iodine- almost half of it is in the thyroid gland. Participates in the formation of the thyroid hormone - thyroxine. Iodine deficiency is manifested by disorders of the thyroid gland. With a deficiency in the diet of iodine, copper, cobalt, manganese, the metabolism of vitamin C is disturbed and the number of red blood cells in the blood decreases. The highest content of iodine in garlic, radish, lettuce, tomato, beans, spinach.

? Silver- silver ions have an antiseptic effect in the human body, increase the tone of the body. Silver is found in mint, lemon balm, dill.

?Manganese is a part of enzymatic systems and takes part in redox processes.

Manganese enhances the action of insulin and maintains an optimal level of cholesterol in the blood, promotes the destruction of fats. Among vegetables, the most manganese is found in white cabbage, mint, and parsley.

? Cobalt participates in the metabolism of fatty acids and folic acid, in carbohydrate metabolism, but its main function is participation in the formation of vitamin B 12, the lack of which leads to the development of malignant anemia. Cobalt can accumulate and be stored in the body for up to 7 years. Vegetable products contain the most cobalt in green peas, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, and spinach.

12. What is the relationship between vitamins and minerals?

Minerals are essential elements. Twenty-two basic and many other minerals make up 4–5% of the average human weight (that is, a 67 kg human body contains about 3 kg of minerals). And for the body to be healthy, a certain balance of minerals interacting with other substances is necessary, for example:

Phosphorus and molybdenum extract energy from food together with vitamin C;

Sulfur is an integral part of vitamin B 1;

Cobalt is contained in vitamin B 12;

Copper helps the body absorb and process iron;

Selenium and vitamin E work together as antioxidants, protecting the heart from oxidation and preventing a person from developing tumors.

None of the products contain all the elements necessary for health, so a variety of fresh vegetables is necessary.

13. What is the role of biologically active substances in human nutrition?

Vegetables, in addition to carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, enzymes, mineral salts, contain biologically active substances - natural antioxidants that are not found in other products. One of the reasons for the decrease in the body's immunity, the development of many diseases, and the reduction in life expectancy is a deficiency in the body of antioxidants and an excess of free radicals.

Free radicals are formed from unsaturated fatty acids, which are part of the lipids of cell membranes and lipoproteins of blood plasma. They have a high reactivity in the body - they reduce the vital activity of the cells of the heart, brain, liver, stomach during stress, the action of carcinogens.

The body defends itself against the action of free radicals with its own antioxidants, for this it needs to have a sufficient amount of antioxidants that bind free radicals and inhibit lipid oxidation.

Vegetables are the richest source of natural antioxidants. This group includes enzymes, mineral selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, lycopene.

Of the vegetables, garlic, vegetable beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and spinach have the greatest ability to neutralize free radicals. The average antioxidant capacity of sweet pepper, white cabbage, onion.

Selenium is an important antioxidant. It strengthens the immune system and reduces the effects of toxic substances. In superdoses, selenium is concentrated by ordinary pumpkin, parsnip, garden dill, parsley, sweet pepper, tomato. Selenium consumption rates are low and amount to 150–200 mg daily. Such an amount can be contained in 200 g of tomato fruits.

14. What vegetables have anticarcinogenic properties?

Many vegetable plants contain substances that have anticarcinogenic properties. The best known are lycopene and chlorophyll.

? Lycopene- carotenoid, a red pigment, is a powerful natural antioxidant. It protects the body from cardiovascular diseases, the development of tumors. Lycopene is found in large quantities in tomato, red pepper, watermelon.

? Chlorophyll gives color to green vegetables, is a proven antimutagen that prevents pathological changes in cellular DNA molecules. Some scientists believe that chlorophyll blocks the first step in the transformation of healthy cells into cancer cells. Chlorophyll is found in green crops, cabbage, sorrel, cucumber.

15. What role do organic acids play in human nutrition and which vegetables accumulate more organic acids?

Organic acids are found in plants in the form of salts and esters, causing their specific taste. Promote digestion, normalize the secretion of gastric juice. The sour taste of leaves and fruits indicates the presence of acids in them. The most important of them are apple, oxalic and lemon. Less common wine, amber, milk and tartron.

Organic acids affect the physiological processes of metabolism, have a positive effect on the functioning of the stomach and the whole organism. They inhibit the development of pathogenic bacteria, heal its microflora.

? Apple acid present in all plants, especially a lot of it in tomatoes, white cabbage, rhubarb stalks.

? Oxalic acid found in many plants, but sorrel, rhubarb, and spinach are the richest in it.

? Lemon acid found in most vegetables in small quantities, but in tomatoes, eggplants and sweet peppers it is much more than oxalic.

? Tartronic acid inhibits the conversion of carbohydrates into fat in the body and to a certain extent prevents obesity and the appearance of atherosclerosis. There is a lot of tartronic acid in tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, radishes, carrots.

16. What effect do vegetables have on the human body?

Parsley, celery, onion, garlic, radish, radish, daikon contain essential oils, which in optimal quantities help to increase the separation of digestive juices and have disinfectant properties.

Onions, garlic, horseradish, radish contain phytoncides that suppress pathogens.

Lettuce, white cabbage, rhubarb, tomato, spinach have properties that can protect the body from exposure to radioactive elements.

Fresh vegetables, especially vegetable beans, peas, dill, parsnips, contain a lot of fiber, which contributes to the separation of gastric juice and bile.

Pumpkin, eggplant, radish, beetroot contain a significant amount of pectin substances, which are absorbed by the body in very small quantities, but protect the intestinal and stomach mucosa from damage, have the ability to adsorb excess fluid in the intestine, harmful bacteria and thus have a disinfectant effect.