It is therefore essential that correct methods
of preparation be chosen for the cooking of this food, so as to prevent
the waste of valuable food materials.
18. DIGESTIBILITY OF VEGETABLES.--The digestibility of vegetables is
largely an individual matter; that is, a vegetable that agrees with one
person may not agree with another. The fact that there appears to be no
apparent reason for such a condition would lead to the conclusion that
it is due to the peculiarities of the person. Because of this, it is not
fair to make the general statement that a particular vegetable is easy
to digest and another one is hard to digest.
The chief cause for difficulty in the digestion of vegetables lies in
their volatile oils, which give them their flavor, but which are
irritating to many persons. Vegetables having a strong flavor, such as
radishes, onions, cucumbers, cabbage, and cauliflower, are the ones that
disagree most frequently with persons who eat them; but sometimes the
way in which some of them are cooked has more to do with this than the
vegetables themselves.
Vegetables containing considerable cellulose and water do not of
themselves give trouble in digestion, because they contain practically
nothing to digest; but they are sometimes responsible for interfering
with the digestion of other foods. Vegetables that are extremely high in
starch, such as potatoes, are easily digested by most persons, provided
they are properly cooked. For instance, a plain baked potato is easily
digested, but the same potato sauted in fat is more difficult of
digestion.
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