Dear So and So

[OakLeaf]

Well, okay, you got me, it must be enzymes.

I was really pretty surprised when I looked stuff up. I don't entirely trust the USDA database, partly because food really isn't fungible, and partly because the sample sizes tend to be very small, but the results are so far off what I thought that I trust *that* much.

It's too early in the morning for me to go back and re-read the basic summaries, but I'm going to assume that what the database shows for carbs is for digestible carbs, because the total of fiber and sugar all by itself is often greater than the total carbohydrates. (That's the "by difference" part, I think - they can't test digestible carbs directly, so they derive it from the total by subtracting fiber and sugar. I think.)

"Average" vegetables like spinach and rappini have approximately the same amount of carbs and protein. Really surprising to me. But what surprised me the most is carrots - though it probably shouldn't have, since they're so high in sugar. Carrots have the same carb to protein ratio as long grain brown rice (10:1) - and yet carrots are one of those things that if I eat enough of them (or drink carrot juice) I feel so good that I wonder why I ever eat anything else.

So it must be enzymes. (But it's still not the simple sugars in carrots which overall make me feel bright, strong, quick and healthy, vs. the complex carbs in brown rice, which make me feel logy and slow though not at all bloated - I'm not allergic to it, it's something else.)

[lph]

Cool. I've never even heard of rappini, actually I'm continually hearing vegetables mentioned here I've never heard of But I'm fairly sure most of the veg. I eat regularly, not a very impressive variety, are lowish on protein. I'd be happy to find more high-protein ones so I'll have a closer look at that list, and then go pester our local Turkish vegetable guy who sells a lot of strange-looking growths.

[Catrin]

Vegetables...I need more of these in my diet. My current diet gives me great blood-sugar control, and I feel great so I really don't want to change things. However, I know that I am missing out nutritionally...so this discussion is helping to spur my curiosity.

[OakLeaf]

I've never even heard of rappini

AKA broccoli raab or broccoli rabe. Love me some bitter greens!