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That all doctors remind us of the importance of eating greens and vegetables is a fact. But do you know what the difference is between one and the other? Can you say what makes each one of them special? Actually, they are foods very similar to each other, and this is the reason why both are often confused on a regular basis. In any case, if you want to know a little more about the difference between vegetable and vegetableContinue reading this Green Ecologist article and we will tell you about it.
What is a vegetable?
The vegetables are those vegetables that are grown in order to serve as food. In fact, the name "vegetable" comes from "garden", which is where it is grown. In this way, when we talk about vegetables, it is necessary that they are vegetables that have been grown expressly by humans, which leaves out of this category any wild vegetable that we can consume, such as mushrooms or wild fruits.
In this regard, a series of exceptions must be taken into account, which are fruits (both fresh fruits and nuts) and cereals. The fruits are vegetables, and it is true that they come from the cultivation carried out by the human being. However, fruits are characterized because the only part that is consumed is the fruit of the cultivated vegetable. In this way, when the fruit is harvested, the plant remains intact, which enables it to continue offering more fruit in subsequent harvests.
On the other hand we find the cereals, which, despite being cultivated by humans and collected in the form of a whole plant, they are not vegetables either. The most visible characteristic of cereals is that the fruit and the seed are practically the same, something that does not happen with legumes (which are considered vegetables).
The vegetablesUnlike cereals, they usually present the seeds inside a pod, which is the true fruit of the plant. In addition, due to their composition in amino acids, they differ from legumes, which causes them to be classified in a separated from the rest of the vegetables.
Vegetables are green leafy
The problem that usually arises when it comes to differences between vegetables and greens is that, in reality, there is not as much difference as it may seem at first. This is because all vegetables are vegetables, even if not all vegetables are vegetables. In other words, vegetables are a type of vegetable. Specifically, vegetables are the vegetables that we could classify as "green leafy". That is, when we talk about vegetables we are referring to lettuce, arugula, cabbages, chard, spinach, etc.
Therefore, it cannot really be said that vegetables are different, but what happens is that there are a number of vegetables that, being vegetables, are not vegetables. Some examples of these vegetables are potatoes and carrots, which in addition to vegetables are tubers; or peas and beans, which in addition to vegetables are legumes.
Why is it important to eat vegetables and greens?
Vegetables are one of the most important foods to be eaten and vegetables are one of the types of vegetables that cannot be missing from the plate. This is because they constitute a type of food very rich in micronutrients (especially vitamins and minerals), which are essential foods to maintain good health despite needing them in very low doses.
A good example of the importance of including fresh vegetables in our diet can be found in his high vitamin C content, one of the most outstanding vitamins when it comes to regenerating the tissues of the human body and that we cannot find in any food of animal origin. Despite being a micronutrient associated especially with fruits such as citrus fruits, it is a vitamin that is found in especially remarkable concentrations in the case of vegetables, although, to take advantage of it, it is necessary to consume the vegetables raw, since the heat of cooking destroys this very important food in any diet.
On the other hand, in addition to vitamin C, vegetables and greens contain high levels of other types of vitamins, such as A, E, K, some vitamins of group B and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron or calcium. What makes this type of food one of the most important that we should consume, since they form the basis of any healthy and balanced diet.
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