VEGETABLES - World Food: Production and Use - page 141

Figure 4.11. Type of Chinese cabbage.
4.7.3 Harvesting, Preparation, and Consumption
Leafy vegetables can be picked and eaten at almost any stage of development.
However, when old, leafy vegetables can become bitter or fibrous. After picking
leaves and washing they are then ready to eat. A mixture of leafy vegetables, different
kinds of lettuce (Fig. 4.13), spinach (Fig. 4.14), and the like along with tomatoes,
peppers, and other vegetables are often eaten, in combination as salads (Fig. 4.2),
Figure 4.12. Nutrient content of common leafy vegetables. From data in the Agricultural
Research Service Nutrient Data Laboratory USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Refer-
ence, Release 17, http: // www.nal.usda.gov / fnic / foodcomp / Data / SR17 / reports / sr17page.htm.