Brassica Vegetables: Growing Practices and Nutritional Information
()
About this ebook
Read more from Roby Jose Ciju
Moringa, the Drumstick Tree Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCurry Leaf Plant Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChile Peppers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsE-Business Models and Web Strategies for Agribusiness Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Advanced Packaging Technologies for Fruits and Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMushroom Farming: 21 Rules for Success Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNutrient Rich Citrus Fruits: Growing Practices and Nutritional Information Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAdvanced Hydroponics Technologies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMineral-Rich Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Simple Guide for Growing Organic Mushrooms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMushrooms and Seaweeds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBulbous Vegetables: Onion, Garlic and Leek Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBell Peppers: Growing Practices and Nutritional Value Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Celery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings21 Culinary Herbs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJalapeno Peppers: Production, Processing, and Marketing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing Herbs For Aromatherapy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLeaves as Vegetables: Food Significance and Nutritional Information Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNightshade Vegetables: Growing Practices and Food Uses Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMint Herbs: Growing Practices and Health Benefits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings5 Popular Leafy Salad Vegetables: Lettuce, Celery, Chives, Kale and Parsley Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealth Benefits of 150 Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing Edible Mushrooms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTomato Gardening A Beginner Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlants for Indoor Air Quality Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings5 Popular Leafy Salad Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBulb Crops for Home Gardens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Art of Perfect Living: The 7 Personal Powers for Perfection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAsparagus Spears: Growing Practices and Nutritional Information Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNutrient Rich Citrus Fruits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Brassica Vegetables
Related ebooks
Brassica Vegetables: Growing Practices and Nutritional Information Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpine Gourd: The Teasle Gourd Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpine Gourd: The Teasle Gourd Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVegetable Superfoods Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMushrooms and Seaweeds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCilantro: The Coriander Greens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Celery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrowing Kale Leaves, Brussels Sprouts and Celery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCollards, Chards and Dandelions: 3 Highly Nutritious Leafy Greens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFlowers as Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVegetables and Their Health Benefits: Eat and Be Healthy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCollards, Chards and Dandelions: 3 Highly Nutritious Leafy Greens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSeaweeds as Vegetables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVegetable Part-1: Nutritional and Medicinal Value Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVegetable Part-1: Nutritional and Medicinal Value: Nutritional and Medicinal Value Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGreens Are Good for You! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealth Benefits of Collard Greens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiquid Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Juicing for Good Health Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBroccoli and Brussels Sprouts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBroccoli and Brussels Sprouts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDrink to Prevent Cancer: 15 Cancer Fighting Ingredients for Your Juice Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Home Juicer's Guide To Health: 3 book boxset Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLeaves as Vegetables: Food Significance and Nutritional Information Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiquid Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Juicing for Good Health Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy You Need To Eat That Fruit: A Compendium of Fruits and their Health Benefits Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDandelions Secret Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStem Cell Enhancing Nutrients – A Layman’s Approach Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to live Healthy & Long Life With Simple Fruits. Veggies, Nuts, Herbs & Spices Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings7 Miraculous Power Leaves Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Gardening For You
The Lost Book of Simple Herbal Remedies: Discover over 100 herbal Medicine for all kinds of Ailment Inspired By Barbara O'Neill Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBackyard Pharmacy: Growing Medicinal Plants in Your Own Yard Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Companion Planting - The Lazy Gardener's Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Midwest-The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies, Unlock the Secrets of Natural Medicine at Home Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Alchemy of Herbs - A Beginner's Guide: Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Square Foot Gardening: How To Grow Healthy Organic Vegetables The Easy Way Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs: Your Complete Guide to the Hidden Powers of Herbs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Herbalist's Bible: John Parkinson's Lost Classic Rediscovered Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSquare Foot Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Square Foot Gardening at Home Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A Practical Guide to the Healing Properties of Herbs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Self-Sufficient Backyard Homestead Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBack to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Indoor Herb Garden: Growing and Harvesting Herbs at Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Houseplants 101: How to choose, style, grow and nurture your indoor plants: The Green Fingered Gardener, #4 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wild Witchcraft: Folk Herbalism, Garden Magic, and Foraging for Spells, Rituals, and Remedies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening: How to Grow Nutrient-Dense, Soil-Sprouted Greens in Less Than 10 days Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Green Witch's Garden: Your Complete Guide to Creating and Cultivating a Magical Garden Space Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Edible Wild Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Self-Sufficiency Handbook: Your Complete Guide to a Self-Sufficient Home, Garden, and Kitchen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty, and Cooking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBackyard Homesteading: A Back-to-Basics Guide to Self-Sufficiency Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs & 100 Seasonal Recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Brassica Vegetables
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Brassica Vegetables - Roby Jose Ciju
Brassica Vegetables
Growing Practices and Nutritional Information
Roby Jose Ciju
Copyright © 2019 AGRIHORTICO
All rights reserved.
https://www.agrihortico.com
Brassicas, the Nutrient-Rich Cruciferous Vegetables
Brassica vegetables are also known as cole crops, crucifers, and cruciferous vegetables. They belong to the genus Brassica and family Brassicaceae, the mustard family. Popular brassica vegetables include cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi (knolkhol), collard greens, and kale. Brassica vegetables are biennial in their growing habit but for commercial production they are grown as annuals. Brassica vegetables believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia.
Culinary Uses: In some brassica vegetables, almost all parts are edible. While in others, leaves, modified stems and flowers form the edible parts. A list of major brassicas and their respective edible portions is given below:
Health Benefits of Brassica Vegetables
Brassica vegetables are considered to be the richest source of plant-based antioxidants in a human diet. An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation, especially that of free radicals. Free radicals are chemically unstable molecular fragments or atoms that have a charge due to excess or deficient number of electrons and are directly responsible for cell degeneration and resultant ageing process in human beings. The immediate tendency of free radicals, as soon as they are formed, is to become stable by reacting with cellular components (for example: DNA) or cell membrane. The result is DNA damage, malignant tumour formation (cancer) and diabetes, cataract, heart diseases and other cell degenerative diseases.
Some of the examples of free radicals are superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, transition metals such as iron and copper, nitric acid and ozone. Major sources of free radicals are normal oxidation process happening within the human body (i.e. released as a byproduct of cell metabolism), exposure to pollution (free radicals may be present in the air we breathe), exposure to sunlight and lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, wrong diet habits (free radicals may be present in the food we eat), stress, and smoking. Some of the examples of cell damage by free radicals are cataract (lens of the eyes become opaque), damage to cell's protective lipid layer (cell membrane), and heart diseases where free radicals trap LDL (low density lipoprotein) in blood artery walls and form coatings.
savoy-2552303_960_720.jpgFigure 1: Brassica Vegetables
Antioxidants are present in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and polyphenolic compounds. Major Antioxidant Vitamins are Vitamin C and Vitamin E. brassica vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale are rich source of Vitamin C. This vitamin is water soluble, easily absorbed by the body hence a mighty scavenger of free radicals present in the bodily fluids including blood. Broccoli is rich in Vitamin E which is essential for the prevention of oxidation of lipids (fats). Major antioxidant minerals are Zinc and Selenium. Selenium is essential to form an active site of most antioxidant enzymes. Major antioxidant enzymes present in human body are Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Glutathione and glutathione peroxidise. All these three groups of antioxidant enzymes are working together to protect cells from free radical damage.
vegetable.jpgFigure 2: Brassica Foods
Polyphenolic compounds or polyphenols are a large group comprising of flavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Flavonoids are chemical compounds plants produce to protect themselves from cell damage and it is a subgroup of polyphenolic antioxidants. It reduces cell inflammation, improves memory and concentration and increases body’s immunity. Anthocyanins are a subgroup of flavonoids. In case of carotenoids, there are about 600 types of carotenoids known till date. Some of these are alpha carotene, beta carotene, lycopene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Beta carotene is the most studied carotenoids and is a precursor of Vitamin A. brassica vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and collard greens are rich source of beta carotene.
Arugula
Scientific name of arugula is Eruca sativa. Arugula belongs to the family Brassicaceae, the cabbage family (syn. Cruciferae). All members of Brassicaceae are believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia.
Common names of Arugula are ‘Salad Rocket’, ‘Garden Rocket’, ‘Eruca’ and Rocket
. It is a popular salad vegetable; its leaves, flowers, tender seed pods and seeds are edible.
Botanical Description: Arugula is grown as an annual for food purposes; it is a quick-growing plant and the plant grows up to a height of one meter under good growing conditions. Leaves are pinnate, with 4-10 small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. Leaves are highly pungent flavoured. Flowers are up to 4cm in diameter, arranged in corymbs. Flowers are with white petals and yellow stamens. Fruit is a pod up to 4 cm long with a terminal beak, and containing numerous seeds.
rocket-3415593_960_720.jpgFigure 3: Arugula
Health Benefits of Arugula Greens
Arugula greens are Moisture-Rich foods: 100 g edible portion of arugula leaves contain 91.71g of moisture/water. Due to high moisture content, consumption of raw arugula greens as salads is good for preventing excess body dehydration. Body needs water to regulate the body temperature and for transporting nutrients, removing bodily toxins and waste, and for protecting body organs. A dehydrated body accelerates the ageing process. When body is dehydrated it results in energy loss, headaches and fatigue.
Arugula greens are good source of Vitamin A: According to U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration), daily value (DV) of Vitamin A is 5000 IU (international unit). 100 g of edible portion of arugula greens contains 2373 IU of Vitamin A.
(Note: DV means daily amount of nutrient recommended for an adult)
Vitamin A is essential for eye health and also for strengthening body’s natural immune system. Vitamin A is also essential for tissue building, and for the formation of RBCs (red blood cells), skin and bones. Deficiency of Vitamin A results in night blindness, and drying of skin and eyes.
Arugula greens are moderate source of Folic acid or Folate: According to U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration), daily value (DV) of folate is 400mcg (micrograms). 100 g of edible portion of arugula greens contains 97mcg of folate. Folic acid is essential for energy production from food. It helps in synthesis of nucleic acids and proper functioning of immune system and blood production by facilitating functioning of iron and increasing production of RBCs. It also helps in controlling protein/amino acid metabolism. It is an important vitamin for pregnant women and for women who are trying to conceive. Major deficiency symptoms of folic acid include birth defects in new born babies, diarrhoea, hearing loss due to ageing, improper functioning of immune system, weakness, fatigue and headaches. Regular consumption of folic acid helps in slowing down progression of hearing loss with ageing; to prevent birth related defects in new born babies; for protection from cancer, heart diseases, depression and degeneration of body due to ageing; and to prevent memory loss and osteoporosis.
Arugula greens are excellent source of Vitamin K: According to U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration), daily value (DV) of Vitamin K is 80mcg (micrograms). 100g of edible portion of arugula greens contain 108.6 mcg (micrograms) of Vitamin K. This vitamin is essential for the formation of strong bones, for blood clotting, and for preventing heart diseases, cancer, and osteoporosis. Vitamin K deficiency results in bleeding gums and bleeding nose.
Arugula contains moderate amounts of Vitamin E: Apart from the above-mentioned vitamins, arugula greens contain moderate amounts of Vitamin E also. It is a powerful antioxidant vitamin which helps in formation of new blood vessels and also increases body’s natural immunity.
Arugula greens are moderate source of many health-enhancing minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus also.
Nutrition in Arugula Greens: According to USDA Nutrient Database, arugula greens are not only a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals but are rich in health-enhancing unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, mono unsaturated fatty acids and PUFA, poly unsaturated fatty acids) also. A detailed account of nutrients present in 100g of raw arugula greens is given below: