Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Crucifier Family

Turnip: It is a root vegetable that is usually grown in the temperate climatic regions and is grown in two varieties; the small and tender ones are used for human consumption and the large ones are used as animal feed. They are rich in vitamin C and turnip greens contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate, calcium and Vitamin K. Turnip greens also contain lutein.

Broccoli: This vegetable is green in colour and looks similar to cauliflower as it is of the same species but of different cultivar group. It is rich in vitamin C and contains diindolylmethane and selenium, which has strong anti-cancer properties. It also contains 3,3'-Diindolylmethane which has strong anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It also helps in fighting prostrate cancer and is rich in vitamin K.

Cauliflower: It belongs to the Brassicaceae family and is an annual plant. It is a rich source of nutrients and can be eaten raw or cooked. Cauliflower is divided into 4 broad groups: Asian, Italian, Northwest European (biennial) and Northern European (annuals). Some of their varieties are: Snow Crown, Snowball, Mayflower, Super Snowball, Candid Charm, Hybrid White, Mormon, poushi, maghi, Agrahani, Snow White, and Snow Grace, and their self-blanching varieties are: Early Tuscan, Self Blanche, Late Tuscan. Cauliflower comes in three colours: purple, orange, and green. It contains very less fat and has high concentrations of fibre, vitamin C, folate and water. It also contains sulforaphane which fights cancer and indole-3-carbinol which hinders the growth of tumour.

Radish: It is a vegetable belonging to the Brassicaceae family and has been cultivated in Europe even before the Roman Empire was established. There are a number of varieties of radishes and come in different colours and sizes. They can be classified into 4 groups: summer, winter, fall, and spring. They are rich in folic acid, vitamin B6, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and copper.

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