Fruits & Vegetables: Nutrition, Culinary Uses & Preservation

Variety comparisons and diverse culinary forms, such as juices or dried extracts, determine the nutritional value and physiological impact of plant-based diets on systemic health.

potato salad with fresh radishes in a bowl top view

Boiling Potatoes the Right Way for Potato Salad

The way you cook potatoes for potato salad can make or break this summer classic. Boil them too long and you may get a mushy salad with the texture of mashed potatoes. Skimp on the cooking and your potatoes can turn out as crisp as celery.

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Butternut squash cut in half on a wooden surface

How to Know When Butternut Squash Is Ready to Cook

The perfect butternut squash is dense, sweet and versatile enough to feature in every meal of the day. A squash that's been picked too soon or is past its prime, however, will be dried out or mushy and flavorless.

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Pumpkin stew with rice and meat

How to Eat Gourds

Gourds are a staple in autumnal centerpieces on dinner tables, while their cousins like pumpkins and melons more often make it to the dinner plate. Many gourds are best left to fall crafts, but a few are edible and flexible enough to be used in a variety of dishes.

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Fresh carrots

How to Freeze Unblanched Carrots

Freezing is a quick and convenient method of food preservation you can use to save a large bunch of carrots. While many people recommend blanching carrots before you freeze them, this step isn't necessary. The purpose of blanching is to keep the carrots viable longer in the freezer.

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Ingredients for pickled beetroots in the jar

How to Pickle Beetroot in Malt Vinegar

Beetroot, informally shortened to beet, is a deep-red root vegetable often used in soups, stews, salads and pastas. It tastes sugary with a mild tartness, similar to a combination of sweet carrots and fresh spinach. Pickle beetroot in malt vinegar to enhance its flavor and preserve it for later use.

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Pumpkin seeds

Do Pumpkin Seeds Affect Pregnant Women?

Not only are pumpkin seeds safe to eat during pregnancy, but they also contain many of the most important nutrients for prenatal development. Add pumpkin seeds to salads, breads, parfaits and smoothies, or eat them on their own for a healthy snack. As noted in "The Ultimate Pregnancy Guide for Expectant Mothers,"

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Grilled fish with Italian noodles

How to Steam Cod Fillets in an Electric Steamer

Steaming foods involves cooking them with the steam produced when the item is enclosed in a heated container. Cod is a firm, white fish that holds up well to steaming and pairs well with many flavors.

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Dragon Fruit

Dragon Fruit and Pregnancy

A healthy diet during pregnancy benefits you and your child by providing the needed nutrition for growth and development, while also supporting a healthy weight gain. Fruit provides your body with many of the needed vitamins and minerals, and dragon fruit, or pitaya, is a beneficial choice.

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Bok choy in the kitchen

Bok Choy & Hypothyroidism

While green vegetables such as bok choy provide your body with many essential vitamins and nutrients, even healthy foods should be eaten in moderation.

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Various vegetable in refrigerator

Can Old Vegetables Make You Sick?

Whether you bring vegetables home from the store or harvest them from your garden, proper storage is a key factor in retaining their freshness and quality.

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White rice in black bowl with wood chopsticks

Rice & Colitis

Colitis results from inflammation of the colon and may cause bowel spasms or abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis inflames the walls of the bowel or intestines and leads to ulcers. Diet has nothing to do with the causes of colitis, but it can help minimize the symptoms.

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Roasted banana with sweet syrup

Banana Nutrition After Baking

In terms of nutritional value, bananas are rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin and fiber, making them a nutritious snack. While baking a banana by itself will change the texture and temperature of the banana, the nutritional facts stay relative to the ripeness of the banana.

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Close-up of red apples

How to Tell if an Apple Is Still Good to Eat?

Apples are an affordable and versatile staple in the average American diet. Available in a range of varieties that differ in texture and sweetness, apples can add flavor to soups, salads or baked goods, or provide an easy and quick snack to be consumed on the go.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes

How to Peel and Cube Sweet Potatoes In Advance

Sweet potatoes are a starchy root vegetable that possess a sweet taste and smooth interior texture. If you are peeling and cubing sweet potatoes in preparation of a larger meal or dish, it is important to soak them in water in the refrigerator to prevent them from drying out and keep them ready to use.

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Papaya

How to Eat a Raw Papaya

Papayas may have their origins in Central America, but they've become a staple of U.S. grocery stores for a reason. The bright orange flesh of this fruit is not only sweet and refreshing, but according to "Whole Living" magazine, one papaya contains almost three days' worth of vitamin C.

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How to Cook With Serrano Pepper

Serrano peppers pack some serious heat. A variety of chili about 5 times hotter than the average jalapeno, the petite serrano delivers quite a punch for its 1- to 2-inch size.

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Washing potatoes

Raw Potato After Working Out

Snacking on a tasty, healthy food after a tough workout is a common method to resupply your body with nutrients and energy. Potatoes are starchy vegetables that provide an abundance of carbohydrates for your muscles to use as fuel.

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Woman Suffering From Cold Sitting On Bed With Tissue

Sneezing and Running Nose From Food Allergies

If you often start to sneeze and have a runny nose after a meal, you may have food allergies. A food allergy can cause annoying symptoms in some people, but it can have serious consequences for others.

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potatoes boiling

How to Give Flavor to a Boiled Potato When on a Diet

A boiled potato is a nutritious and low-fat food that can have a place in healthy diet plan. A plain boiled potato provides you with a healthy dose of potassium, fiber and vitamin C, but is also low in calories. Certain toppings can decrease the nutritional value and increase the fat and calorie content significantly.

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