Becoming vegetarian

Calcium in a plant-based diet

2007-08-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Milk is also linked to type 1 (juvenileonset) diabetes and other serious conditions. Happily, there are many other good sources of calcium. Keeping your bones strong depends more on preventing the loss of calcium from your body than on boosting your calcium intake. Some cultures consume few or no dairy products and typically ingest fewer than 500 milligrams of calcium per day.However, these people generally have low rates of osteoporosis. Many
scientists believe that exercise and other factors have more to do with osteoporosis
than calcium intake does. CAlCiuM in tHe Body Almost all of the calcium in the body is
in the bones. There is a tiny amount in the bloodstream, which is responsible for important functions such as muscle contraction, maintenance of the heartbeat, and transmission of nerve
impulses. Many people avoid milk because it contains saturated fat, cholesterol, allergenic
proteins, lactose, and frequent traces of contamination, or simply because they don’t feel
well after consuming dairy products.

We regularly lose calcium from our bloodstream through urine, sweat, and feces. It is renewed with calcium from bone or from the diet. Bones are constantly broken down and made anew. Up until the age of 30 or so, we build more bone than we lose. Later, the bones tend to break down
more than build up. The loss of too much bone calcium can lead to fragile bones or osteoporosis.
How rapidly calcium is lost depends, in part, on the kind and amount of protein you eat, as well as other diet and lifestyle choices. reduCing CAlCiuM loss A number of factors affect calcium
loss from the body:
• Diets that are high in protein cause more calcium to be lost through the urine. Protein from animal products is much more likely to cause calcium loss than protein from plant foods.
This may be one reason that vegetarians tend to have stronger bones than meat eaters.
• Diets high in sodium increase calcium losses in the urine.
• Caffeine increases the rate at which calcium is lost through urine.
• Smoking increases the loss of calcium from the body.

Where to get it
(content in milligrams)
Vegetables
Broccoli (1 cup, boiled) 62
Brussels sprouts (1 cup, boiled) 56
Butternut squash (1 cup, baked) 84
Carrots (2 medium, raw) 40
Cauliflower (1 cup, boiled) 20
Collards (1 cup, boiled) 266
Kale (1 cup, boiled) 94
Sweet potato (1 cup, baked) 76
legumes
Black turtle beans (1 cup, boiled) 102
Chickpeas (1 cup, boiled) 80
great northern beans (1 cup, boiled) 120
Kidney beans (1 cup, boiled) 62
lentils (1 cup, boiled) 38
navy beans (1 cup, boiled) 126
pinto beans (1 cup, boiled) 79
Soybeans (1 cup, boiled) 175
Soymilk (1 cup, calcium-fortified) 368
Tofu (1/2 cup, raw, firm) 253
Vegetarian baked beans (1 cup) 86
White beans (1 cup, boiled) 161
Whole grains
Corn tortilla 42
rice milk (1 cup, enriched) 300
Wheat bread (1 slice) 26
Whole-wheat flour (1 cup) 41
Fruit
Dried figs (10 figs) 140
naval orange (1 medium) 60
Orange juice (1 cup, calcium-fortified) 300*
raisins (2/3 cup) 53
Source: u.s. department of Agriculture, Agricultural
research service. 2004. usdA national nutrient database
for standard reference, release 17. nutrient data laboratory
web site: nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
* package information where to get it

Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone

2007-08-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone

Working at Catacombs warehouse, I run across many, many cookbooks, and more often than not take them home to try them out. This cookbook has quickly become one of my favorites. Every recipe — really, every one! — that I've tried so far has been excellent — not just good or successful, but above and beyond what I expected. There's no shortage of material, either; this cookbook is huge, sturdy, and will last a lifetime. Most recipes are very easy, and I love Madison's clarity (at the beginning she tells you what size carrot, onion, or garlic she assumes). The introduction is thorough and relevant for cooks at any level, bringing cooking back to its essence: experimentation, fresh ingredients, and pleasure. And, as Madison states on the cover, you don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these recipes; you could add meat to many, and the book is worth keeping for its extensive section on vegetables and side dishes alone. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone covers most everything you could imagine, including breads, desserts, sauces, soy. If I had a kitchen fire, this is the cookbook I'd rescue.

Recommended by Jill, Powells.com

Six years in the making, Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone expands the spirited approach to vegetarian cooking that garnered awards for Madison's two previous, best selling cookbooks, The Greens Cookbook and The Savory Way. "My students have been telling me for years that there needs to be a reference guide for vegetarian cooking," she says. "This book is for my students and for those home cooks, beginner or experienced, who are inspired by the smell, the taste, the possibilities of fresh vegetables."

With twenty extensive chapters beginning with "Becoming a Cook" and finishing with "Desserts: Ending on a Sweet Note," Madison shares her expertise with warmth and enthusiasm. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a chef, cooking teacher, and home cook, she discusses fundamentals such as kitchen equipment, cutting and chopping techniques, basic ingredients from herbs to nuts, and cooking methods like steaming and stir-frying. Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone includes nearly every imaginable category of vegetarian fare, from savory breakfast foods, soups, salads, and sandwiches to flavorful gratins, pastas, tarts, pizzas, grains, eggs, and baked goods. Each chapter contains recipes appropriate for a variety of occasions—from family meals to dinner parties—which can stand on their own or accompany meat, fish or fowl.

You'll find comforting American favorites like Cream of Tomato Soup, Red Bean Gumbo with Greens, Winter Vegetable Pot Pie, and Rhubarb-Apple Crisp, as well as Madison originals such as Winter Squash Galette, Silky Mushroom Pate, Goat Cheese Souffle with Thyme and Spinach, and Herb Torta in a Potato Crust. Madison's travels and exploration of global cuisines are evident in dishes such as Sizzling Risorto Gratin, Glass Noodles with Spinach, Tunisian Tomato and Pepper Stew, and Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Roasted Peanuts. With zesty choices like Black Bean-Smoked Chile Dip, Posole with Red Chile Pods, and Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Corn and Red Mole, she also pays homage to the American Southwest where she resides. Recipes are introduced with a bit of personal lore or hints from the author, giving this admittedly vast cookbook an endearing, personal tone, as if Deborah Madison herself were in the kitchen, chatting with the reader.

The backbone of this indispensable volume is the chapter "Vegetables: The Heart of the Matter" an A-to-Z guide with information on how to buy, store, prepare, and complement the majority of vegetables the modern cook will encounter today, from the familiar such as carrots, peas, and zucchini to the new favorites such as chard, fava beans, kohlrabi, broccoli rabe, and artichokes. If you've ever wondered what celeriac is, or need to identify the differences between mustard greens and turnip greens, Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone has the answers. As Martha Rose Shulman says, "It's not only a cookbook. It's the standard text we've been waiting for."

In short, for those of us dedicated to eating healthfully, who adhere to a vegetarian diet, or simply savor the bountiful diversity, flavor, and texture of vegetables, grains, legumes, and other vegetarian fare, Deborah Madison's sweeping new Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone is bound to become a classic.

Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone
by Deborah Madison
Published by Broadway Books;
October 8, 1997; 752 pages
ISBN: 0-7679-0014-6

Vegetarian Festival

2007-08-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian Festival

The Vegetarian Festival is a religious festival annually held on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand. It attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed. Many religious devotees will slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other self destructive acts, although the devotees do not suffer any harm. This is attributed to spirits that are said to protect the devotees.

The Vegetarian Festival lasts for 9 days and 9 nights from the 1st to the 9th Chinese lunar month. This festival normally falls on the eleventh or around October. The Chinese call it "The ninth month vegetarian festival".

In Thailand, the vegetarian festival centers are in Trang Province, in Krabi Province and in Phang-nga Province. But the most famous center is in Phuket Province. Due to the old and believable legend is that while there was an epidemic at Kratu District in Phuket, a group of Chinese opera entertainers performed their vegetarian festival and built some Taoist temples to get rid of bad lucks and to heal the ailments. The native people there then all believed those activities. They have maintained and performed this festival until now. In the beginning of this festival, some the local people representatives went to Kung Sai Community in China to invite the joss-stick smoke and ash called among the natives Hiawaient to perform their vegetarian festival. On the way back from China to Phuket, the joss-stick had to be lit all time.
On the first night of this festival, there is an important activity, The Tall lamp or Ko Teng Raising Ceremony at each Taoist temple. The nine wicks-in-oil in a glass cover are arranged in three rows on Ko Teng. This tall lamp represents Kiu Ong Tah., The holy Chinese God. Once the tall lamp is lighted and raised, it signified the arrival of Kiu Ong Tah and Siva, the God of Heaven.
The tall lamp is lowered by a pulley to add oil to the wicks and raised to the top of the post everyday in order to prevent the lighted from going out.
Another activity on the next day is to light big joss-stick. Some ritual propitiation, such as, sandal wood, slabs, the gold and silver paper and amulets are burnt to worship the shrine spirits, such as, the previous dead Kings or the dead people who had their good deeds for the nation.
After the first three days, the vegetarians realize that they have purified themselves. There will be and invitation the other two gods through the spirit mediums. The first god is 'Lamtao' who is the god register for the birth record and 'Pugtao' the god register for the death record. The Peung Kun or the God soldiers are invited to Protect vegetarian people from the evils and monsters. The highlight of this activity is watching the spirit mediums performances. Some of the god soldiers 'characters like Hieng Jia, or Buosong who could kill tigers with their bare hands are very exciting. The devotees are given Hu (a piece of paper with Chinese alphabets believed to be a holy amulet).

Controlling diabetes

2007-08-16T19:07:00.001-07:00

Controlling diabetes

The latest studies on diabetes show that a vegetarian diet high in complex carbohydrates and fiber (which are found only in plant foods) and low in fat is the best dietary prescription for controlling diabetes. A diet based on vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, which is also low in fat and sugar, can lower blood sugar levels and oftenreduce or even eliminate the need for medication. Since individuals with diabetes are at high risk for heart disease, avoiding fat and cholesterol is important, and a vegetarian diet is the best way to do that.

Presented by Vegetarian Timesand

the Physicians Committeefor

Responsible Medicine

The Calcium Connection

2007-08-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Calcium Connection
Vegetarians are less likely to form either kidney stones or gallstones. In addition,
vegetarians may also be at lower risk for osteoporosis because they eat little or no
animal protein. A high intake of animal protein encourages the loss of calcium from the bones. Replacing animal products with plant foods reduces the amount of calcium lost. This may help to explain why people who live in countries where the typical diet is plantbased have little osteoporosis, even when calcium intake is lower than that in dairy-consuming countries. you already enjoy. Common ones

Planning Vegetarian diets

It’s easy to plan vegetarian diets that meet all your nutrient needs. Grains, beans, and vegetables are rich in protein and iron. Green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, tofu, corn tortillas, and nuts are excellent sources of calcium, as are enriched soymilk and fortified juices. Vitamin D is normally made in the body when sun shines on the skin. People who are dark-skinned or live at northern latitudes have some difficulty producing vitamin D year-round. Vitamin D can easily be obtained from fortified foods. Some sources are commercial breakfast cereals, soymilk, other supplemental products, and multivitamins.Regular intake of vitamin B12 is important. Good sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, some brands of nutritional yeast, and fortified soymilk. It is especially important for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers to get enough
vitamin B12. When reading food labels, look for the word cyanocobalamin the form of vitamin B12 that is best absorbed by the body.

Presented by Vegetarian Times
and the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine

Cancer Prevention

2007-08-15T04:41:00.000-07:00

CanCer Prevention
A vegetarian diet helps prevent cancer.Studies of vegetarians show that death rates from cancer are only about onehalf to three-quarters of the general population’s cancer-death rates. Breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in countries where typical diets are plant-based. When women from those countries adopt a Western, meat-based diet, their rates of breast cancer soar. Vegetarians also have significantly lower rates of colon cancer than meat eaters. Colon cancer is more closely associated with meat consumption than any other dietary factor. Why do vegetarian diets help protect against cancer?

First, they are lower in fat and higher in fiber than meat-based diets. But other factors are important, too. Plants contain other cancer-fighting substances called
phytochemicals. For example, vegetarians usually consume more of the plant pigments
betacarotene and lycopene. This might help to explain why they have less lung and prostate cancers. Also, some studies havesuggested that diets that avoid dairy products may reduce the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers. Some of the anticancer aspects of a vegetarian diet cannot yet be explained. For example, researchers are not quite sure why vegetarians have more ofcertain white blood cells, called natural killer cells, which are able to seek anddestroy cancer cells.

Presented by Vegetarian Timesand
the Physicians Committeefor
Responsible Medicine

Lower Blood Pressure

2007-08-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

Lower Blood Pressure

An impressive number of studies, dating back to the early 1920s, show that vegetarians have lower blood pressure than nonvegetarians. In fact, some studies have shown that adding meat to a vegetarian diet raises blood pressure levels rapidly and significantly. A vegetarian diet also reduces sodium intake: When patients with high blood pressure begin a vegetarian diet, many are able to eliminate the need for medication.

A Healthy Heart

2007-08-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

A Healthy Heart

Vegetarians have much lower cholesterol levels than meat eaters, and heart diseaseis less common in vegetarians. The reasons are not hard to find. Vegetarian meals are typically low in saturated fat and usually contain little or no cholesterol. Since cholesterol is found only in animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs, vegans consume a cholesterolfree diet. The type of protein in a vegetarian diet may be another important advantage. Many studies show that replacing animal protein with plant protein lowers blood cholesterol levels even if the amount and type of fat in the diet staysthe same. Those studies show that a lowfat, vegetarian diet has a clear advantageover other diets.

Presented by Vegetarian Times
and the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine

The 3-step way to go vegetarian

2007-08-15T01:16:00.000-07:00

The 3-step way to go vegetarian

if you are making the switch to a vegetarian diet for its health benefits, you’ll be pleased to find that there is a wonderful additional benefit to vegetarian eating: it’s a delicious and fun way to explore new foods.

A vegetarian meal can be as familiar as spaghetti with marinara sauce, as comforting as a bowl of rich, potato soup, or as exotic as grilled polenta with portobello mushrooms.

The switch to a vegetarian diet is easier than you might think.
Most people, whether vegetarians or meat eaters, typically use a limited variety of recipes;the average family eats only eight or nine different dinners repeatedly.

You can use a simple, three-step method to come up with nine vegetarian dinner menus that you enjoy and can prepare easily.

After that, coming up with vegetarian options for breakfast and lunch is easy. try muffins with fruit spread, cholesterolfree French toast, or cereal for breakfasts. sandwiches, with spreads like hummus or white bean pate with lemon and garlic, or dinner leftovers all make great lunches.

1. First, think of three vegetarian meals that you already enjoy. Common ones2 are tofu and vegetable stir-fries, vegetable stew, or pasta primavera.

2. second, think of three recipes you prepare regularly that can easily be adapted to a vegetarian menu. For example, a favorite chili recipe can be made with all of the same ingredients;
just replace the meat with beans or texturized vegetable protein. Enjoy bean burritos (using canned vegetarian refried beans) instead of beef burritos, veggie burgers instead of hamburgers, and 3 in the ingredients list. This is grilled eggplant and roasted red peppers instead of grilled chicken in sandwiches. Many soups, stews, and casseroles also can be made into vegetarian dishes with a few simple changes.

3. third, check out some vegetarian cookbooks from the library and experiment with the recipes for a week or so until you find three new recipes that are delicious and easy to make. Just like that, with minimal changes to your menus, you will have nine vegetarian dinners.

This acticle from http://www.vegetariantimes.com

Balanced eating

2007-08-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

Balanced eating

Achieving a healthy diet is popularly misperceived as being attainable by eating 'healthy foods'. Many people[attribution needed] falsely believe that there are 'good' and 'bad' foods; they develop bad diets because they think that abundant eating of foods they consider 'healthy' will create a healthy diet. However, this is far from the truth.

The consumption of nothing but substances that are deemed healthy, such as an "all-grain diet" or a diet consisting only of pasta or other health-foods, would most likely result in deficiencies because important nutrients (like protein-based foods) would be missed. Foods such as grains, fish, corn, etc. are healthy when consumed with a balanced diet, because in combination they supply us with all of the required nutrients. The most important aspect of any diet is maintaining a healthy intake and balance of foods.

The balance of micronutrients gained from meat, vegetables, and other foods is what makes diets healthy, not only consuming 'healthy' foods. For instance, milk, cheese, and other dairy products are known to have a relatively high fat content. Removing such dairy products from a diet may lower fat ingestion, but it will also negatively affect the intake of calcium and riboflavin that such foods offer.

This article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

why vegetarian why vegetarian why vegetarian why vegetarian becoming vegetarian becoming vegetarian becoming vegetarian becoming vegetarian

Nutritional overview

2007-08-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

Generally, a healthy diet is said to include:
1. Sufficient calories to maintain a person's metabolic and activity needs, but not so excessive as to result in fat storage greater than roughly 30% of body mass (see Body fat percentage);
2. Sufficient quantities of fat, including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat, with a balance of omega-6 and long-chain omega-3 lipids;
3. Maintenance of a good ratio between carbohydrates and lipids : four gramms of the first for one gramm of the second.
4. Avoidance of saturated fat (although the "evidence" for this claim is forever in debate after the testimony of results provided by the Framingham Heart Study of 1948-1998)
5. Avoidance of trans fat.
6. Sufficient essential amino acids ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins;
7. Essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals.
8. Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic (e.g. benzene) substances;
9. Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens (e.g. e. coli, tapeworm eggs);
10. Avoiding chronic high doses of certain foods that are benign or beneficial in small or occasional doses, such as
- foods or substances with directly toxic properties at high chronic doses (e.g. ethyl alcohol);
- foods that may interfere at high doses with other body processes (e.g. refined table salt);
- foods that may burden or exhaust normal functions (e.g. refined carbohydrates without adequate dietary fibre).
This Article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthy_diet

Confusion about fats in you diet

2007-08-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Fats are always looked at as a negative in a diet...well in almost all diets anyway, as Atkins tends to think that they are OK. The reason that most people try to avoid fats is that they tend to be less of a priority for your body to metabolize; the body would rather metabolize the carbohydrates and then Fat or Protein. Another issue with fat is the number of calories per gram, a gram of fat has 9 calories as opposed to Protein and carbohydrates which have 4 calories per gram. So your body is going to more than likely store any extra fat taken in as, well, fat.So you should watch out for the fat in most cases. Still it is important to take in some fats, you body can not exist without any fats and in fact stores vitamins A, D, E and K in fat. These vitamins are needed to maintain good health. One thing to be aware of is that these vitamins because they are stored in fat can build up and be toxic…how toxic? Well I have not heard of anyone getting sick from them but without them you would surely get sick. Research has shown, because that people who consume a high-sugar diet tend to consume lower amounts of fat and vice versa. If you think about this it means that your mind will look at a sugary or a fatty food in the same way and will crave both in the same way.Most people’s questions about fasts are what kind they can eat to be eating healthy. There are three types of fat that comes from food. Saturated Fats, Polyunsaturated Fats, and Monounsaturated Fats. All three are found in foods that come from animals or plants, but the amount varies. As a rule, more saturated fat is found in animal than vegetable foods, where more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are found in vegetables than animal foods. Cholesterol is also found in foods from animals. Saturated fat is mainly found in foods of animal origin, but some vegetables also have large amounts. These are called saturated vegetable fats and are often found in processed bakery goods and nondairy milk or cream substitutes. These are: Beef, Brazil Nuts, Butter, Cheese, Chocolate, Coconut, Coconut Oil, and LardAs a rule of thumb when shopping, saturated fats are solid at room temperature. When you have a lot of saturated fat in your diet, your liver responds by making more cholesterol. This raises your blood cholesterol level. It is the most harmful type of fat you can eat. Polyunsaturated fats come mainly from plants. They are liquid at room temperature. Eating polyunsaturated fat can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Examples are Almonds, Corn Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Filberts, Fish, Margarine, Mayonnaise, and PecansMonounsaturated fats are mainly found in foods that come from plants. They are liquid at room temperature and can reduce blood cholesterol levels, but less than polyunsaturated fats do. They can, however, raise HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind of cholesterol) levels. Examples are Avocado, Canola Oil, Cashews, Olives, Olive Oil, Peanuts, and Peanut Butter. Trans fats are what make vegetable margarines have a butter-like texture, and prolong the shelf life of packaged foods. The effects of trans fats are still not known, but it is believed that they, like saturated fats, cause blood cholesterol levels to increase. As we have learned over the last couple years trans fats can not be metabolized by our body so they are poisonous and very unhealthy About the Author Bill Nadraszky has been a health and fitness junkie for years. You can find more articles at his fitness site at http://health-fitness.xptechsupport.com

10 Mind-Easing Ways To Make Sure Your Child's "Bag" Lunch

2007-08-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

Perishable food must be kept cold while commuting via bus, bicycle, on foot, in a car, or on the subway. After arriving at school or work, perishable food must be kept cold until lunchtime. Why? Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" (the temperatures between 40° F and 140° F). So, perishable food transported without an ice source won’t stay safe long. Here are safe handling recommendations to prevent food-borne illness from “bag” lunches.
1. Perishable food, such as raw or cooked meat and poultry, must be kept cold or frozen at the store and at home. Eggs should be purchased cold at the store and kept cold at home.
2. Transport perishable food as fast as possible when no ice source is available. At the destination, keep it cold. Food should not be left out at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90° F).
3. Prepackaged combos that contain luncheon meats along with crackers, cheese, and condiments must also be kept refrigerated. This includes luncheon meats and smoked ham which are cured or contain preservatives.
4. At lunchtime, discard all used food packaging and paper bags. Do not reuse packaging because it could contaminate other food and cause food-borne illness.
5. Pack just the amount of perishable food that can be eaten at lunch. That way, there won’t be a problem about the storage or safety of leftovers.
6. It’s fine to prepare the food the night before and store the packed lunch in the refrigerator. Freezing sandwiches helps them stay cold. However, for best quality don’t freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomatoes. Add these later.
7. Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes or bags are best for keeping food cold, but metal or plastic lunch boxes and paper bags can also be used. If using paper lunch bags, create layers by double bagging to help insulate the food. An ice source should be packed with perishable food in any type of lunch bag or box.
8. Prepare cooked food, such as turkey, ham, chicken, and vegetable or pasta salads, ahead of time to allow for thorough chilling in the refrigerator.
9.Divide large amounts of food into shallow containers for fast chilling and easier use. Keep cooked food refrigerated until time to leave home.
10. To keep lunches cold away from home, include a small frozen gel pack or frozen juice box. Of course, if there’s a refrigerator available, store perishable items there upon arrival. Copyright (c) Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved. Terry Nicholls is the author of the eBook "Food Safety: Protecting Your Family From Food Poisoning". For more tips like these, and to learn more about his book, visit his website at http://tinyurl.com/3fr2tyourguides@cogeco.ca

Vegetable breeding (3),

2007-08-14T09:46:00.001-07:00

Broccoli: Focus on the Seed

Inspired by Johns Hopkins colleagues who found that sprouted broccoli seed has about 10 times more glucoraphanin than the plant itself does, Farnham has expanded his work to include the seed.

He notes that most broccoli seed is expensive. "It's a crop that's mainly grown for food, not seed. But this is a new approach. We're developing inexpensive seed sources that will provide high glucoraphanin levels. To accomplish this, we'll wind up breeding a different type of broccoli.

"The new focus doesn't mean that we're not interested in broccoli as a vegetable food," Farnham says. "But we are looking for new uses of the crop."

Recently, he and colleagues produced relatively high-glucoraphanin broccoli through crossing types high in glucoraphanin with ones low in the compound. Farnham's team has also produced and identified broccoli plants very high in glucoraphanin that can successfully pollinate without the help of insects.

Currently, Farnham is working with the private sector to test these self-pollinating lines for seed production.

He adds that USVL's overall glucoraphanin research may one day lead to extracting the compound from broccoli for pharmaceutical purposes--something he says wouldn't be cost-effective from the plant, but might be possible from the seed.

In the meantime, Fery is developing "double-green" peas--those whose hues come from combining two unrelated genes.

Peas: A Perfect Shade of Green

"When it comes to these peas, green's the thing," says Fery. "You want just the right shade of green--not too dark--and the ability to maintain that color." Specifically, Fery is integrating these green genes into a pinkeye-type southernpea. "This pea is the mainstay of the southernpea industry," he says.

Varieties of southernpea that stay green when dry have long garnered interest from plant breeders. Frozen-food processors like the persistent green seed trait because it greatly enhances the appearance of their product, Fery explains.

Double-green varieties have the gc gene and a gene called green testa (gt). The gc gene was identified in 1993 as being responsible for the green cotyledon trait in another USVL release, the southernpea cultivar Bettergreen. At harvest, dry seeds still have their fresh green color. The gt gene, discovered in 1974 at Auburn University, imparts a green seed-coat color that persists in the dry seed.

Fery says that while he and colleagues have developed several superior pinkeye types of advanced breeding lines containing the double-green seed trait, much seed-multiplication and evaluation work lies ahead before a cultivar can be released.

That's why USVL has established a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Western Seed Multiplication, Inc., of Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, for completing the work and bringing this new generation of pea cultivars to market.

USVL and Western Seed, a major grower of cowpea seed stock for the food-processing industry, previously collaborated to develop Charleston Greenpack, which is now the leading southernpea cultivar being packed by frozen-food producers.

Under the present CRADA, the new breeding lines will be evaluated for commercial-processing suitability and their resistance to the blackeye cowpea mosaic virus.

Watermelon: The Call of the Wild

Looking ahead, USVL researchers see important developments on the horizon for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus).

Vegetable breeding (2)

2007-08-14T09:44:00.001-07:00

Meanwhile, Fery for 19 years has led USVL efforts to develop greener peas. Working with southernpea (Vigna unguiculata)--also known as cowpea, crowder pea, and black-eyed pea--he and colleagues used a gene called green cotyledon (gc) to breed varieties that have now been widely accepted by the frozen-food industry.

Now, bolstered by a $20 million state-of-the-art facility that opened in Charleston in 2003, Farnham and Fery are pushing their work to new levels, while other USVL scientists pursue other breakthroughs. Fery says that with the new facility, which ARS shares with Clemson University scientists, USVL researchers "now have all the tools necessary to continue bringing new and improved varieties to consumers."

Vegetable breeding (1)

2007-08-14T09:23:00.001-07:00

Vegetable breeding steps up to the next level
Agricultural Research, Dec, 2005 by Luis Pons

For almost 70 years, scientists at what's today known as ARS's U.S. Vegetable Laboratory (USVL) in Charleston, South Carolina, have changed the way many popular vegetables are bred and used.
Recent examples of this include research by USVL geneticists Mark Farnham and Richard Fery.

Farnham and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, have found that concentrations in broccoli (Brassica oleracea) of glucoraphanin--a compound associated with the vegetable's cancer-inhibiting abilities--is influenced more by genetics than by environment.
Farnham says this discovery makes it possible to classify the anticancer potential of different broccoli varieties according to how their glucoraphanin spurs detoxifying enzyme activity in mammalian cells.