TABLE OF CONTENT

PAGES

TITLE PAGE        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

CERTIFICATION           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

DEDICATION      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS       –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

TABLE OF CONTENT   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v

CHAPTER ONE  INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER TWO DESCRIPTION OF GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLE

2.1     Nutritional composition of Green Leafy Vegetables          –         5

2.2     Classification of Green Leafy Vegetables      –         –         –         6

2.2.1  Leaf vegetables      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         6

2.2.2  Stalk vegetables     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         6

2.2.3  Fruit and Flower Vegetables      –         –         –         –         –         7

2.3     Classification of root Vegetables         –         –         –         –         7

2.3.1  Root, Bulb and Tuber Vegetables        –         –         –         –         7

2.3.2  Legumes      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         8

2.4     Effects of Preparing  and Cooking methods

on Green Leafy Vegetables        –         –         –         –         –         11

CHAPTER THREE THE ROLE OF GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES IN HUMAN NUTRITION

3.1     Health Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables   –         –         –         17

3.1.1  Sources of Folate   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         18

3.1.2  Burns Fat     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         19

3.1.3  Anti-Aging  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.1.4  The Maintenance of Good Heart Health        –         –         –         20

3.1.5  Fight Diabetes        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         21

3.1.6  Protect Against Toxins    –         –         –         –         –         –         22

3.1.7  Build Enzymes      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         22

3.2     Green Leafy vegetables and Diseases  –         –         –         –         23-24

3.3     Effect of Green Leafy Vegetables on Diabetes,

Obesity and the Metabolic syndrome  –         –         –         –         24-27

3.4     Effect of Green Leafy Vegetables on

Cardiovascular diseases   –         –         –         –         –         –         27-28

3.5     Effect of Green Leafy Vegetables on Cancer           –         –         28-30

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

4.1     Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         31-33

4.2     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         33-34

References

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Vegetables are annual or perennial horticultural crops, with certain sections (roots, stalks, flowers, fruits, leaves, etc.) that can be consumed wholly or partially, cooked or raw (Welbaum, 2015). Vegetables are important for human nutrition in terms of bioactive nutrient molecules such as dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and non-nutritive phytochemicals (phenolic compounds, flavonoids, bioactive peptides, etc.). These nutrient and non-nutrient molecules reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain cancers, and obesity (Pennington and Remizeh, 2018).

In recent years, consumers have began to change their eating patterns with the growing interest in the effect of foods in staying healthy and maintaining health. “Western” type diets are characterized by increased intake of calories, sugar, saturated fats and animal protein, and reduced consumption of vegetables and fruits. When this type of diet is combined with lack of activity, the prevalence and frequency of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular pathologies also increases (Malaterreb and Poucheereta, 2018). In healthy diets (Mediterranean diet model), eating plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, cereals, legumes and nuts, replacing butter with healthy oils such as olive oil and canola oil, using herbs and spices to add flavor instead of salt, limiting red meat to several times a month and eating fish and poultry at least twice a week are recommended. Evidence from epidemiological studies and clinical trials shows that the Mediterranean diet is associated with many positive health outcomes such as reduced risk of various chronic illnesses, reduced overall mortality, and increased likelihood of healthy aging (Tuttolomondo et al., 2015).One of the most important features of these diets is the high consumption of vegetables, and therefore fiber, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, sulfur compounds, phenolic compounds such as monoterpenes and bioactive peptides, which have positive effects on health (Malaterreb et al., 2018). In this chapter, basic information will be presented on the classification of vegetables, their relation to health, and the effects of preparation and cooking on nutrient content of vegetables.