Vegetables are all the parts of plants that are consumed as food. A diet rich in vegetables of many varieties can assure good health, because vegetables are great sources of nutrients and eating them in adequate amounts daily can keep many diseases at bay. The World Health Organisation recommends that adults should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day (excluding starchy vegetables like potatoes).
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), vegetables are annual plants which are cultivated as field crops and garden crops. Some are cultivated in open fields, while others are grown under the protection of glasses. Some vegetables, like green maize and green peas, are often classified as cereals and legumes. When chillies are harvested as vegetables, they are not classified as spices.
China is the world’s leading producer of vegetables, followed closely by India. These two countries are followed by the USA, Turkey, Russia, Nigeria and Vietnam. India is the largest producer of ginger and okra, and ranks second in the production of potatoes, onions, cauliflower, brinjal, cabbage, etc. Here’s everything you need to know about vegetables, and why you should include them in your diet.