Cruciferous vegetables
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edible plants in the family Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae) are termed Cruciferous vegetables. For a botanical description of plants in this family (whether or not used for food), see Brassicaceae.
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[edit] Introduction
Ten of the most common vegetables eaten by people are in a single species (B. oleracea), and are distinguished from one another taxonomically only by the infraspecific category variety. Numerous other genera and species in the family are also edible. Cruciferous vegetables are one of the dominant food crops worldwide.
[edit] Health benefits
Widely considered to be healthful foods, cruciferous vegetables contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, vitamin C and other vitamins, as well as various phytochemicals. They are also very well known for their ability to cure and protect against certain cancers.
[edit] List of cruciferous vegetables
Extensive selective breeding has produced a large variety of cultivars, especially within the genus Brassica. One description of genetic factors involved in the breeding of Brassica species is the Triangle of U.
| common name | genus | specific epithet | variety |
|---|---|---|---|
| kale | Brassica | oleracea | acephala |
| collards | Brassica | oleracea | acephala |
| chinese broccoli (gai laan) | Brassica | oleracea | alboglabra |
| cabbage | Brassica | oleracea | capitata |
| brussel sprout | Brassica | oleracea | gemmifera |
| kohlrabi | Brassica | oleracea | gongylodes |
| broccoli | Brassica | oleracea | italica |
| broccoflower | Brassica | oleracea | italica x botrytis |
| broccoli romanesco | Brassica | oleracea | botrytis/italica |
| cauliflower | Brassica | oleracea | botrytis |
| wild broccoli | Brassica | oleracea | oleracea |
| bok choy | Brassica | rapa | chinensis |
| mizuna | Brassica | rapa | nipposinica |
| broccoli rabe | Brassica | rapa | parachinensis |
| flowering cabbage | Brassica | rapa | parachinensis |
| chinese cabbage, napa cabbage | Brassica | rapa | pekinensis |
| turnip root; greens | Brassica | rapa | rapifera |
| rutabaga | Brassica | napus | napobrassica |
| siberian kale | Brassica | napus | pabularia |
| canola/rape seeds; greens | Brassica | napus | oleifera |
| wrapped heart mustard cabbage | Brassica | juncea | rugosa |
| mustard seeds, brown; greens | Brassica | juncea | |
| mustard seeds, white | Brassica | hirta | |
| mustard seeds, black | Brassica | nigra | |
| tatsoi | Brassica | rosularis | |
| ethiopian mustard | Brassica | carinata | |
| radish | Raphanus | sativus | |
| daikon | Raphanus | sativus | longipinnatus |
| horseradish | Armoracia | rusticana | |
| Japanese horseradish (wasabi) | Wasabia | japonica | |
| arugula | Eruca | vesicaria | |
| watercress | Nasturtium | officinale | |
| cress | Lepidium | sativum |
[edit] References
| general | Rebecca Wood, 1999. The new whole foods encyclopedia. ISBN 0-14-025032-8 |
| Brassica juncea | http://www.floridata.com/ref/B/bras_jun.cfm |
| Brassica napa | http://www.floridata.com/ref/B/bras_nap.cfm |
| Brassica oleracea | http://www.floridata.com/ref/B/brass_ole.cfm |
| chinese flowering cabbage | http://www.ahs.cqu.edu.au/info/science/psg/AsianVeg/ChinFlCabb.html |
| romanesco | http://www.fourmilab.ch/images/Romanesco/ |
| Cruciferae | http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/find_lat?FAM=Cruciferae&CAN=fam |
| edible/useful plants | http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html |
