Common Vegetables

Long prized for its deeply purple, glossy beauty as well as its unique taste and texture, eggplants are now available in markets throughout the year, but they are at their very best from August through October when they are in season.Eggplants belong to the nightshade family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes. They grow in a manner much like tomatoes, hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height.

While the different varieties do range slightly in taste and texture, one can generally describe the eggplant as having a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture.One of the most popular varieties of eggplant in North America looks like a pear-shaped egg, a characteristic from which its name is derived. The skin is glossy and deep purple in color, while the flesh is cream colored and spongy in consistency. Contained within the flesh are seeds arranged in a conical pattern. In addition to this variety, eggplant is also available in a cornucopia of other colors including lavender, jade green, orange, and yellow-white, as well as in sizes and shapes that range from that of a small tomato to a large zucchini. While the different varieties do vary slightly in taste and texture, one can generally describe the eggplant as having a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture. In many recipes, eggplant fulfills the role of being a complementary ingredient that balances the surrounding flavors of the other more pronounced ingredients.

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Lady finger is a common vegetable seen in the local markets. It is cooked in a different ways, in different parts of the world. The vegetable can be steamed, seasoned and even added to soups. The goodness of lady finger is not something that people have only realised recently. The value of the lady finger has been proclaimed and advocated for years.

The vegetable is popular for its diuretic properties. It has been used in the treatment of urinary tract infections for many years now and in many countries of the world. Besides this, lady finger is used as the base for poultices, as a sudorific and emollient and an antiscorbutic. It is also used effectively in the cure of dysuria. The vegetable is used extensively as a plasma replacement and blood volume expander.

In many underdeveloped countries, the lady finger is being made a mandatory part of the daily diet for the undernourished, by the supervising authorities like the UNO and other voluntary organizations. The vegetable, when boiled, becomes slimy and thick. This pulpy form is used to add body to soups and other dishes. This green 'wonder' is excellent for health and is now a popular additive to many alternative healthcare treatments too.

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around ribbing with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit.Although less nutritious than most fruit, the fresh cucumber seeds are still a source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, also providing dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese.

The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.