Importance of vegetables in human diet highlighted

LAHORE: Vegetables assumes immense importance in meeting nutritional needs of the growing population, said a spokesperson for the Punjab Agriculture Department.

The per capita consumption of vegetables in Pakistan is much less than the world standard. According to experts, the consumption of vegetables in the human diet should be 300 to 350 grams per person per day, while in our country this amount is 100 to 150 grams per person per day, he added. Vegetables grown in your own farm or home garden under kitchen gardening are fresh, healthy, cheap, free from agricultural toxins and other pollutants. Winter vegetables can be cultivated in September-October. These include cauliflower, cabbage, potato, onion, salad, radish, turnip, peas, carrot, spinach, fenugreek, coriander, garlic and peas. Moreover, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, onion and salad can also be grown in winter.