A closer look at the food that we eat

We rarely think about the food that we eat, except for the taste and quantity of it. One starts watching diet when one falls sick. Here is some thing that would make one sit up and think.

I am reproducing a table showing absolute values for two vitamins and two minerals in various fruits, leafy vegetables and roots. The values are in mg. per 100 grams of the vegetable or fruit. The source is a pamphlet published by Ministry of food. The data has been analysed by the author.

The first two columns after name show quantity of vitamin A and C, the next two columns show quantity of iron and calcium present in the fruit. Absolute values do not really reveal much.

See the table nos.1, 2, and 3.

VITAMIN & MINERAL CONTENTS OF SOME FRUITS & VEGETABLES
TABLE NO : 1
Name	VITAMIN A	VITAMIN C	IRON	CALCIUM
FRUITS
Banana	78	7	0.36	17
Jamun	48	18	0.43	15
Lichi	0	31	0.7	10
Grapes	0	1	0.52	20
Jack-fruit	175	2	0.56	20
Guava	0	212	0.27	10
Pomegranate	0	16	1.79	10
Papaya	686	57	0.5	17
Chikoo	97	6	1.25	28
Apple	0	1	1.2	36
Mahua	307	40	0.23	45
Orange	1104	30	0.32	25
Pineapple	0	39	2.42	20
Tomato	351	27	0.64	48
Bael	55	8	0.6	85
Lime	15	63	0.3	90
Custard apple	0	37	4.31	17
Mangoe	2743	16	1.3	14
Amla	9	600	1.2	50
TABLE NO : 2
LEAFY VEGETABLES
Lettuce	990	10	2.4	50
Cabbage	120	124	0.8	39
Spinach	5580	28	1.14	73
Fnugreek leaves	2340	52	1.93	395
Raddish leaves	595	81	0.09	265
Mint	1620	27	15.6	200
Mustard leaves	2622	23	15.3	155
Amaranth leaves	5520	90	3.49	397
Drumstick leaves	6780	220	0.85	440
TABLE NO : 3
ROOTS,TUBERS & FRUITS
Pumpkin	50	2	0.44	10
Mangoe Green	90	3	0.53	10
Cumcumber	0	7	0.5	10
Bottle Gourd	0	0	0.45	20
Potato	24	17	0.48	10
Brinjal	74	12	0.36	18
Beet Root	0	10	1.19	18.3
Ash Gourd	0	1	0.8	30
Colocasia	24	0	0.42	40
Peas	83	9	1.5	20
Yam Ordinary	78	0	1.19	35
French Beans	132	24	0.61	26
Turnip	0	43	0.4	30
Onion	0	11	0.6	50
Radish Pink	3	17	0.37	50
Yam Elephant	260	0	0.6	50
Tomato Green	192	31	1.8	20
Parwar	153	29	1.7	30
Lady's Finger	52	13	0.35	66
Knol-Khol	21	85	0.54	20
Cauliflower	30	56	1.23	33
Bitter Gourd	126	85	0.54	20
Plantain Green	30	24	6.27	10
Drumsticks	110	120	0.18	30
Carrot	1890	3	1.03	90

However see the fun with the processed data. Each value has been divided by the highest value in the column for the table. Thereafter ratios so arrived have been written in next four columns. Fifth column shows the total of these ratios. Now this food value is comparable parameter. Therefore arranging in ascending order we get three different tables.

Table nos.4, 5,and 6. (tables)

VITAMIN & MINERAL CONTENTS OF SOME FRUITS & VEGETABLES
TABLE NO: 4
Name	VITA A	VITAC	IRON	CALCIUM	PRODUCT	PRODUCT	PRODUCT	PRODUCT	TOTAL OF	RANK
FRUITS					VIT.A	VIT.C	IRON	CALCIUM	PRODUCT
Banana	78	7	0.36	17	3	1	8	19	31	18
Jamun	48	18	0.43	15	2	3	10	17	31	18
Lichi	0	31	0.7	10	0	5	16	11	33	17
Grapes	0	1	0.52	20	0	0	12	22	34	16
Jack-fruit	175	2	0.56	20	6	0	13	22	42	15
Guava	0	212	0.27	10	0	35	6	11	53	14
Pomegranate	0	16	1.79	10	0	3	42	11	55	13
Papaya	686	57	0.5	17	25	10	12	19	65	11
Chikoo(sapot-a)	97	6	1.25	28	4	1	29	31	65	11
Apple	0	1	1.2	36	0	0	28	40	68	10
Mahua	307	40	0.23	45	11	7	5	50	73	9
Orange	1104	30	0.32	25	40	5	7	28	80	8
Pineapple	0	39	2.42	20	0	7	56	22	85	6
Tomato	351	27	0.64	48	13	5	15	53	85	6
Bael	55	8	0.6	85	2	1	14	94	112	5
Lime	15	63	0.3	90	1	11	7	100	118	4
Custard apple	0	37	4.31	17	0	6	100	19	125	3
Mangoe	2743	16	1.3	14	100	3	30	16	148	2
Amla	9	600	1.2	50	0	100	28	56	184	1
TABLE NO: 5
LEAFY VEGETABLES
Lettuce	990	10	2.4	50	15	5	15	11	46	9
Cabbage	120	124	0.8	39	2	56	5	9	72	8
Spinach	5580	28	1.14	73	82	13	7	17	119	6
Fnugreek leaves	2340	52	1.93	395	35	24	12	90	160	5
Raddish leaves	595	81	0.09	265	9	37	1	60	106	7
Mint	1620	27	15.6	200	24	12	100	45	182	3
Mustard leaves	2622	23	15.3	155	39	10	98	35	182	3
Amaranth leaves	5520	90	3.49	397	81	41	22	90	235	2
Drumstick leaves	6780	220	0.85	440	100	100	5	100	305	1
TABLE NO: 6
ROOTS TUBERS & OTHER FRUITS
Pumpkin	50	2	0.44	10	3	2	7	11	22	25
Mangoe Green	90	3	0.53	10	5	3	8	11	27	23
Cumcumber	0	7	0.5	10	0	6	8	11	25	24
Bottle Gourd	0	0	0.45	20	0	0	7	22	29	22
Potato	24	17	0.48	10	1	14	8	11	34	21
Brinjal	74	12	0.36	18	4	10	6	20	40	20
Beet Root	0	10	1.19	18.3	0	8	19	20	48	18
Ash Groud	0	1	0.8	30	0	1	13	33	47	19
Colocasia	24	0	0.42	40	1	0	7	44	52	17
Peas	83	9	1.5	20	4	8	24	22	58	16
Yam Ordinary	78	0	1.19	35	4	0	19	39	62	15
French Beans	132	24	0.61	26	7	20	10	29	66	14
Turnip	0	43	0.4	30	0	36	6	33	76	11
Onion	0	11	0.6	50	0	9	10	56	74	13
Radish Pink	3	17	0.37	50	0	14	6	56	76	11
Yam Elephant	260	0	0.6	50	14	0	10	56	79	10
Tomato Green	192	31	1.8	20	10	26	29	22	87	9
Parwar	153	29	1.7	30	8	24	27	33	93	7
Lady's Finger	52	13	0.35	66	3	11	6	73	93	7
Knol-Knol	21	85	0.54	20	1	71	9	22	103	6
Cauliflower	30	56	1.23	33	2	47	20	37	105	5
Bitter Groud	126	85	0.54	20	7	71	9	22	108	4
Plantain Green	30	24	6.27	10	2	20	100	11	133	3
Drumsticks	110	120	0.18	30	6	100	3	33	142	2
Carrot	1890	3	1.03	90	100	3	16	100	219	1

Behold what we have. Here Amla stands out as the most nutritious fruit above all followed by Mango. Then in line are Custard apple, Lime and Beal. Most costly and popular fruits such as Grapes and Apple are languishing far behind. Similarly in leafy vegetables it is the most unexpected Drumstick leaf, which steals the show followed by Amaranth, Mustard, Mint, etc.

In roots and tubers section Carrot takes the cake of nutrition again to be followed by Drumsticks,third and fourth are Plantain-green and Bitter guard. Cauliflower is fifth. Tomato is ninth and Elephant yam is tenth. Popular Peas is 18^th ,most bought Brinjal is 22^nd, and most popular Potato is 23^rd.Pumpkin stands last in the queue at 27^th position.

Purpose of this analysis is only to help people economise. Interestingly the most nutritious is probably the most cheap. However we do not value it because it is not considered as the food of the rich. What is required for maintaining good health in lesser money is a paradigm shift. So that common man can get maximum nutrition at the least cost.

But the ground rule is that, ”You are the master therefore you are going to decide what to eat. You will not leave it to your tongue to decide. Your tongue is only a doorkeeper, who has to only see what arrives at the door of the body and inform the owner i.e. ”You” and should take orders regarding the entry.

If one leaves it to the watchman to decide what should enter your body and what should not then your house i.e.your body will be fed and filled with unwanted elements, minerals in undesirable quantities. So be your own master and decide what you will eat today, tomorrow and forever.

May god bless you.

Prakash Tendulkar

FACAO MTP C.RLY.