Glossary

Molecules with the ability to combat reactive oxygen species, either by preventing them from forming or by blocking their harmful activity. For more information, see the monograph on antioxidants in the section of the site for health professionals.

A method of processing vegetables that leads to canning. The term derives from Nicolas Appert, who invented the first process for using heat to sterilize food.

A process that consists of subjecting vegetables to boiling water or steam for a very short period of time (from 30 seconds to two minutes) before cooking. Blanching is used to maintain the colour of vegetables. It also stops the action of enzymes that cause vegetables to deteriorate during storage.

Level of cholesterol in the blood.

Canning is the most reliable means of storing vegetables for as long as possible. Canned vegetables remain microbiologically stable for several years, until the can is opened. We have examples of jarred vegetables that remain intact after about 70 years !

A process that consists of feeding vegetables into tunnels cooled to -30°C to -40°C, to seal in the cold. The aim is to reduce the temperature at the core of the vegetable to -18°C very quickly. It can then be stored at that temperature until consumption.

Deficiency is the partial or total lack of a nutrient, with potential consequences for short- or long-term health.

Dried vegetables are seeds. They are harvested at maturity and then dried. In this way they can easily keep for long periods of time. They need to be rehydrated before being used. Dried vegetables provide starch (complex carbohydrates), fibre and minerals : magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, etc. They include dried beans, lentils, split peas, flageolets, etc.

A substance that boosts and speeds up biochemical reactions in the body.

Fibre is a component of carbohydrates. Fibre molecules are long carbohydrate chains and can be soluble or insoluble. Fibre plays many different roles in the body : it regulates intestinal transit, blood-sugar levels, cholesterol levels, etc. The recommended consumption is 25 to 30 grammes per day. For more information, see the monograph on fibre in the section of the site for health professionals.

A vegetable that has not been processed in any way. The more precise term for a fresh vegetable is « raw vegetable », since there is often no way to determine the actual "freshness" of these vegetables.

Level of glucose in the blood.

Green vegetables differ from dried vegetables. They cannot be stored for long periods of time without being processed. This category includes vegetables that are green in colour, naturally, but also a number of vegetables that are different colours, such as turnips, red and yellow peppers, pumpkins, Belgian endive, asparagus, etc.

An antioxidant from the carotenoid family. Lutein is found in large quantities in spinach.

Lycopene is an antioxidant from the carotenoid family. It makes food red in colour, and is notably present in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit.

More precisely, mineral salts. These are compounds found in the body that play an important role with regard to structure, physiology (water regulation), nerve impulses, etc. Examples of minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and sodium.

A document that summarizes our current knowledge about a given topic at the time of writing. You can find all our monographs in the section of the site for health professionals.

A substance that has nutritional significance for the body. These include macronutrients (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements).

The science that studies the relationship between food and its short-term and long-term effects on the body.

Data established by public authorities in each country, based on recognized scientific data, aimed at ensuring a healthy population by maintaining a balance between diet and physical activity.

Obesity is defined as the condition of those whose body mass index is higher than 30. The body mass index is the ratio of weight to height in meters squared : W/ H². For example , a person whose height is 1.70 m is considered obese if his or her weight exceeds 87 kilograms.

Programme National Nutrition Santé (National Health Nutrition Programme). French public health programme that includes nine priority health objectives. To learn more: www.mangerbouger.fr

A large class of over 8,000 chemical compounds, some of which act as antioxidants. Polyphenols can be found in fruits and vegetables as well as in tea, coffee and chocolate. For more information, see the monograph on antioxidants in the section of the site for health professionals.

« Quantity of a food that can reasonably be consumed at a single sitting«  It is recommended that people eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily. That represents 400 to 800 g per day. A portion will not be less than 80 g.
In practice, a portion corresponds to a handful of green beans, 2 ladles of soup, 2 small tomatoes or one large tomato, 2 tablespoons of raw vegetables, 3 tablespoons of peas, etc. It's more a matter of common sense than arithmetic ! For more information, see the monograph on portions in the section of the site for health professionals.

These are vegetables that have been treated in some way in order to be preserved. Processed vegetables include bagged (ready-prepared) salads, vacuum-packed vegetables, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables and dehydrated vegetables.

Recommended Daily Amounts. These are the European reference values found on food product labels. They indicate the average daily requirement of vitamins and minerals in the general population.

Recommended Nutritional Allowances, for the French public. The RNAs are defined on the basis of age, sex and physical activity.

A charitable non-profit association in France, founded in 1945, that addresses the problems of disadvantaged children and families facing social exclusion. It responds to both short-term needs for food and clothing and long-term concerns, such as integration into the labour market and access to culture, sport, leisure activities, health care, vacation and civil rights, while acting to preserve individual dignity through mutual collaboration.

Strictly speaking, a vegetable is a garden plant, portions of which are edible. For culinary purposes, the word vegetable refers to any edible portion of a non-animal living organism, be it plant, fungus or protist (several types of algae), that is not sweetened to taste. The term is also used for plants that provide us with condiments and herbs. By contrast, edible portions of plants with a sweeter taste, in the culinary sense, are fruits.

In botany, the word vegetable refers to the pod, the fruit that is specific to leguminous plants.

Vegetables are produced by means of market gardening, which is a branch of agriculture.

A substance that our bodies need in order to survive, but that in most cases we are unable to synthesize in adequate quantities. We must obtain additional vitamins through food. There are 13 vitamins; those most commonly found in vegetables are Vitamin C, pro-Vitamin A and Vitamin B9.

An antioxidant from the carotenoid family. Zeaxanthin is found in large quantities in corn, from which it gets its name. (Corn's scientific name is Zea.)

« Quantité raisonnablement consommable en une seul fois pour un aliment ». Il est recommandé de manger au moins 5 portions de fruits et de légumes par jour. Cela représente 400 à 800 g par jour. Une portion ne sera pas inférieure à 80g.
En pratique, une portion correspond à une poignée de haricots verts, 2 louches de soupe, 2 petites tomates ou une grosse tomate, 2 cuillères à soupe de crudités, 3 cuillères à soupe de petits pois…

Il s’agit plus d’une question de bon sens que d’arithmétique !

Pour plus de détails, voir la monographie sur les portions dans l’espace professionnels de santé.