anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables, herbs and teas

Question 1

what do you need to keep in mind when preparing fruits and vegetables?

Answer 1

how to optimize antioxidant preservation and availability and minimize vitamin loss

Question 2

how are nutrients lost in preparation? (4)

Answer 2

due to light, heat, air exposure or leached into cooking water

Question 3

how can you avoid nutrient losses?

Answer 3

peel and cut veggies (into large pieces) just prior to consumption or cooking

Question 4

where are most nutrients found in vegetables? and how can we cook them to maximize nutrient retention

Answer 4

just under the peel, its best to avoid peeling, or leave the peel on until after cooking, and using quick cooking methods

Question 5

what is a “quick cooking method?”

Answer 5

cooking method involving minimal amounts of water, or where water or liquid is consumed, to conserve most nutrients

Question 6

why do we wash produce?

Answer 6

to remove pesticides and surface contaminants( eg. bacteria)

Question 7

name 6 phytochemicals and where they are found

Answer 7

anthocyanin (berries, red cabbage) , lutein (green and orange plants), lycopene ( tomatoes), indole glucosinolate (cruciferous vegetables), allicin(members of allium family) and cathechin (green tea)

Question 8

how does preparation impact phytochemicals?

Answer 8

it impacts their availability and their pigment qualities

Question 9

what are herbs concentrated sources of?

Answer 9

anti-oxidants

Question 10

what ar the 7 most common herbs?

Answer 10

parsley, rosemary, mint, thyme, oregano, basil, dill,

Question 11

name 4 vegetables rich in glucosinolates

Answer 11

brussel sprouts, kale, collard, broccoli, rapini, cauliflower

Question 12

are glucosinolates water or fat soluble? and how does this impact their preparation?

Answer 12

water soluble, therefore you must cook them briefly in minimal quantities of water

Question 13

true or false: glucosinolates are better absorbed when thoroughly chewed.

Answer 13

true

Question 14

what is the colour difference between chlorophyll a and b?

Answer 14

A is blue-green

B is yellow-green

Question 15

why does blanching make the vegetable look brighter?

Answer 15

it forces air to leave the vegetable

Question 16

why do vegetables turn a dull colour when cooked for long periods of time with the lid on?

Answer 16

when vegetables are cooked, plants cells rupture, and release organic acids. cells plastids containing chlorophyll become permeable to the acids. Hydrogen acids displace the central magnesium atom in chlorophyll to form either pheophytin a (grey-green) or pheophytin b (yellow green).

Question 17

how can the formation of pheophyting be avoided when cooking vegetables?

Answer 17

1) cooking vegetables for a short amount of time
2) leaving the lid off of the pan to let volatile acids dissipate
3) add alkali to pot, which forms chlorophyllin (a bright green pigment)

Question 18

what are the consequences of adding baking soda to boiling vegetables?

Answer 18

bright green colour BUT thiamin (vitamin B) is destroyed, vegetables have a bitter taste and become mushy texture

Question 19

what other chemicals (apart from alkali) turn veggetables bright green?)

Answer 19

copper or zinc

Question 20

what are anthocyanins?

Answer 20

antioxidants that provide red to blue colour in foods such as berries, egplant and red cabbage

Question 21

are anthocyanins water or fat soluble?

Answer 21

water soluble

Question 22

does ph impact anthocyanins?

Answer 22

YES, in acidic environemnts pigment is RED in basic env. pigment is greenish-blue to black

Question 23

what are carotenoids?

Answer 23

yellow, orange or red pirgments

Question 24

how can you make lycopene more available?

Answer 24

by cooking it and eating it with a source of fat

Question 25

what will exessive heating do to carotenoids?

Answer 25

reduce colour intensity and vitamin a potential

Question 26

are carotenoids water or fat soluble?

Answer 26

fat soluble, so they require the presence of dietary fat in the digestive tract to be properly absorbed

Question 27

what are some of the best sources of lutein?

Answer 27

raw kale, cooked spinach, collards, green peas, broccoli and romaine lettuce

Question 28

what is the best source of allicin?

Answer 28

freshly crushed garlic

Question 29

name some alliums that contain allicin

Answer 29

garlic, yellow white red and green onions, shallots, and chives

Question 30

name 3 sources of flavanols.

Answer 30

japanese green tea, onions and grapes (including wine)

Question 31

how long do you need to steep green tea to extract the maximal amount of anti-oxidants

Answer 31

8-10mins

Question 32

what cruciferous vegetables have the highest glucosinolate content (highest to lowest)

Answer 32

brussel-sprouts, collard greens, kale

Question 33

name top 3 proanthocyanidin sources (highest to lowest)

Answer 33

cinnamon, cocoa powder, red beans

Question 34

name top 5 fruit antioxidants (highest to lowest)

Answer 34

wild blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries

Question 35

name top 5 vegetable antioxidants (highest to lowest)

Answer 35

red beans, artichoke hearts, russet potatoes, red cabbage, asparagus

Question 36

what is the principal dietary source of lycopene?

Answer 36

cooked tomatoes

Question 37

name 5 foods rich in polyphenols

Answer 37

dark chocolate, green tea, cocoa, red wine, milk chocolate

Question 38

what temperature water do you wash greens under?

Answer 38

cold

Question 39

what are the benefits of running just-cooked vegetables under cold water?

Answer 39

stops cooking process and brightens colour

Question 40

what is the easiest method to remove tomato skins?

Answer 40

1) cut an X into the skin
2) blanch tomatoes
3) peel off skin