What do I know about vegetables?

Vegetables are one of the smallest sections represented on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Vegetables occupy one of the two biggest sections of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, meaning we should eat lots of them each day.

How many serves of vegetables are recommended to be eaten every day by teenagers in Australia?

• 4-5

• 5-6

• 6-7

• 7-8

Answer explanation

Teenage girls aged 12-18 should eat a minimum of 5 serves each day.

Teenage boys aged 12-18 should eat a minimum of 5 1/2 serves each day.

It is okay to limit your vegetable intake to 2 or 3 different vegetables as long as you are receiving the correct number or serves each day

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Everyone should eat a wide variety of vegetable colours as well as a wide variety of vegetable types. eg. root, leaves, stems, fruit, bulbs etc.

Which of the following is not considered a vegetable 'fruit'?

• Sweetcorn

• Eggplant

• Zucchini

• Tomato

Answer explanation

Sweetcorn is considered a 'seed' vegetable.

A good guide to measure a standard serve of vegetables is

• 1 cup of cooked vegetables

• to count the number of different vegetables on your plate

• the amount which fits into your hand

• 1 cup of raw vegetables

Answer explanation

Each serve of vegetable weighs about 75 g and will be approximately one handful of the vegetable you are eating

Baked beans and chickpeas are considered vegetables

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Baked beans, chickpeas and other legumes/pulses are considered vegetables. They also appear in the Lean Meat etc section of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Yellow and orange vegetables are well known for their role in supporting

• Skin health

• Immunity

• Vision

• Muscle strength

Answer explanation

Yellow and orange vegetables are known to support immunity, skin and bone health and good vision because they are rich source of carotenoids and Vitamin C.

Vegetables are known to be valuable sources of

• Fibre

• Fat

• Sodium

• Cholesterol

Answer explanation

Vegetables are excellent sources of fibre.

They do not contain cholesterol and are low in fat*, sodium and sugar.

* Olives and avocados are good sources of monounsaturated fat (healthy)

Which groups of vegetables grow underground?

• Seeds and sprouts

• Stems

• Tubers

• Fungi

Answer explanation

Tubers are vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, yam and taro. These grow underground and are swollen tubers which grow on the roots of a plant.

Frozen and canned vegetables are suitable substitutes for fresh vegetables

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Frozen vegetables are excellent substitutes for fresh vegetables.

Choose canned vegetables which have 'no added sugar or salt'.