Types of vegetables

Vegetables are available in many varieties and can be classified into biological groups or ‘families’, including:

• leafy green – lettuce, spinach and silverbeet
• cruciferous – cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli
• marrow – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini
• root – potato, sweet potato and yam
• edible plant stem – celery and asparagus
• allium – onion, garlic and shallot.

Legumes

Legumes or pulses contain nutrients that are especially valuable. Legumes need to be cooked before they are eaten – this improves their nutritional quality, aids digestion and eliminates any harmful toxins. Legumes come in many forms including:

• soy products – tofu (bean curd) and soybeans
• legume flours – chickpea flour (besan), lentil flour and soy flour
• dried beans and peas – haricot beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils
• fresh beans and peas – green peas, green beans, butter beans, broad beans and snow peas.