|
|
Ways to prevent nutritional loss at cooking
|
![](images/dietitian_4.jpg)
Full of nutrients as they are, says Verona, certain vegetables, especially cruciferae (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese white cabbage, etc.), have fibre that is not easily digestible. They need to be broken down, fermented and absorbed through intestinal enzymes; this process may cause bloating or flatulence. Thus, these vegetables are best avoided by people with weak gatrointestinal functions. Last but not least, even though vegetables can help us guard against constipation, we should also ensure an adequate level of fluid intake for this purpose.
|
Table 2 Energy, proteins, carbohydrates, total fats, saturated fats, potassium, sodium and fibre content of selected gourds and vegetables
Food item (Per 100g) |
Calories (Kcal) |
Protein (g) |
Carbohydrates (g) |
Fats (g) |
Saturated fats (g) |
Potassium (mg) |
Sodium (mg) |
Fibre (g) |
Tomato |
20 |
0.9 |
4 |
0.2 |
0 |
163 |
8 |
0.5 |
Green pepper |
20 |
0.86 |
4.64 |
0.17 |
0.058 |
175 |
3 |
1.7 |
Red pepper |
31 |
0.99 |
6.03 |
0.3 |
0.027 |
211 |
4 |
2.1 |
Yellow pepper |
27 |
1.00 |
6.32 |
0.21 |
0.031 |
212 |
2 |
0.9 |
White gourd |
12 |
0.4 |
2.6 |
0.2 |
NA |
78 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
Pumpkin |
26 |
1.00 |
6.5 |
0.1 |
0.052 |
340 |
1 |
0.5 |
Cucumber |
16 |
0.8 |
2.9 |
0.2 |
NA |
102 |
4.9 |
0.5 |
Eggplant |
18 |
1.0 |
3.0 |
Trace |
0.026 |
220 |
0 |
2.6 |
Bitter gourd |
7.4 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
ND |
0 |
190 |
3 |
2.2 |
Sponge gourd |
21 |
1.0 |
4.2 |
0.2 |
0.016 |
115 |
3 |
0.6 |
Zucchini |
17 |
1.21 |
3.11 |
0.32 |
NA |
261 |
1 |
1 |
Lettuce |
10 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
Trace |
0.029 |
230 |
8 |
Trace |
Spinach |
14 |
2.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.04 |
558 |
5 |
1.7 |
Water spinach |
27 |
2.9 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
0 |
312 |
25 |
2.8 |
Amaranth (Chinese spinach) |
13 |
1.9 |
0.48 |
0.4 |
0.048 |
480 |
15 |
2.0 |
|
Extract from CookSmart, Issue 20
|
|
|