A, b, c, d, e, f, g… diet is as fun as it can be. Vegetables are part of a healthy balanced diet and a significant part of our menu.
However, it needs to be more thoroughly addressed as bland and less tasty than other ingredients in dishes.
We will try to break these prejudices.
You can use it to prepare different dishes, salads, spreads and even desserts.
This time, we have prepared a list of plants starting with I.
It was challenging to find and make a list that would include as many plants as possible, but we did our best for you.
So let’s start!
Most Common Vegetables That Start With I
- Iceberg lettuce
Iceberg salad is trendy and is often used over some other salads. It is also known as a crunchy salad because it produces a specific crunchy sound when eaten.
It has pale green leaves and is very similar to cabbage. In addition to its crunchy texture, it is also known for its sweet taste. That is why it is a favorite in many homes, children like to eat it compared to other vegetables, and it is also very often used in restaurants.
In addition to its unique taste, it is excellent for decoration, which is one of the main reasons for its popularity in many restaurants.
This salad will stay fresh longer because, unlike ordinary lettuce, it has a compact head.
It is excellent for losing weight because it has few carbohydrates and a lot of dietary fiber.
By eating this salad, you will quickly feel satiety, stay fuller for longer, and over time, slimmer.
It contains vitamins K, A and C. Therefore, it is essential in blood clotting, which can be very important in bleeding. It is also vital for the human skeleton because it reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
It got its interesting name because it was transported in wooden boxes covered with ice. First, of course, to keep it fresh for as long as possible.
- Ice cream bean
You have to admit that this vegetable has a fascinating name. The first thing that catches your eye is the word “ice cream”.
Ice cream bean is an exotic South American plant locally called ‘guaba’ (pronounced ‘wuba’). Behind this unique name is a fascinating tree with exceptional fruit.
The tree can grow up to 30 meters in height and the bean-like pods can reach a length of up to 2 meters, which you will admit is fascinating.
The pod contains many large purple-black seeds wrapped in an edible conductive white pulp.
This unique seed tastes like a sponge-like pulp that tastes like vanilla ice cream, after which it got its name.
Because of their unique taste, these beans are very popular in most parts of Central and South America and are almost always eaten raw.
During the wet tropical season, when the fruits are abundant, birds and monkeys feed on these sweet seeds, spreading the soft embryos around.
This vegetable is not only magnificent because of its fruit. The flowers of this plant look pretty amazing. These flowers open only one night and wither by morning.
Like most night flowers, they are huge, white and arranged in bunches. They are fascinating and exotic.
If you are on a diet and want to eat something sweet, Ice cream bean is for you. This tropical vegetable is sweet, lean and delicious.
It also contains numerous vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, B and C. In addition, it is full of protein and antioxidants, so it is ideal for the health of your body.
- Ice plant
Ice plant is a perennial plant that produces every year. It is known for its brightly colored flowers.
It got its name because of the tiny hairs that reflect light in a way that resembles ice crystals.
Its leaves are juicy and fleshy and become darker as the temperature drops. Interestingly, many types of ice plants are evergreen in tropical regions.
In addition to its decorative use, which is genuinely mesmerizing at first glance, it is also an indispensable ingredient in culinary spells.
It is crunchy, juicy, and slightly salty. Moreover, it can be used in a variety of ways. You can eat it raw because the fleshy, crunchy leaves are great in salads.
You can soak its leaves in boiling water and make tea. This vegetable is very resistant, so it retains its crispiness even in the heat, which is really fascinating.
It can be used as an edible decoration for fancy dishes.
It can be deep fried in oil, which gives it extra crunch for gourmets and sweet tooths who like to eat well.
- Irish moss
Although it is called moss, this plant is not a moss but algae or seaweed.
This specific seaweed can be found on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in Europe, Britain and North America.
This specific moss is used in various industries, but its main application is nutrition.
This is because the main ingredient of this plant is a substance very similar to gelatin called carrageenan.
It is mainly used as a vegan substitute for gelatin, but it can also be found as an emulsifier in many products.
During its long history, it has traditionally been used as a treatment for colds and respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Today, there are many ways in which you can use this particular herb. For example, it can be added to drinks, make smoothies, or thicken certain dishes.
It is often used as a thickening agent for ice cream, pizza, soups, and cooked dishes and can even be found as an ingredient in baby food.
Fascinating information is that gardeners often use it to water their plants because it contains essential nutrients.
It also helps in beauty and rejuvenation.
For example, you can make a face mask from the powder of this moss. As a result, your skin will glow and be smooth and soft.
- Italian Red Onion
First, we wondered about the difference between a regular red onion and Italian Red Onion.
First, the Italian Red Onion thrives in Southern Italy in a small area of Calabria called Capo Vaticano.
The difference is that this onion has a sweeter aroma and the inner part is juicier and whiter than other red onions.
We suppose you might be wrong if you think this onion is full of sugar and less healthy because it is sweeter.
This onion has a significantly lower pyruvic acid content, making it less sharp, thus allowing the natural sugars to shine.
The local population thinks this onion is good if you eat it like an apple.
It is even so sweet that you can make jam out of it.
Italian red onion is most often used fresh to prepare salads, sauces or as an ingredient in some dishes. If it is too strong to eat, you can soak it in the water a little before consumption.
The local population points out that this onion has several health benefits, from the fight against aging to improving circulation to aphrodisiacs.
The wonderful thing about this onion is that it does not have a strong smell and taste, so you will not cry when you cut it.
- Ivy Gourd
Ivy Gourd is a plant where almost all parts are used. It is popular in African and Asian countries. This vegetable is similar to watermelon and overgrows like a creeper plant.
Its leaves, root and fruit are used in medicine because they are very medicinal.
It is most often used to prevent diabetes because it acts like insulin.
When not fully ripe, the fruits of this plant are used to prepare soups and curries.
Ripe fruits are used raw or can be stewed with other vegetables, rice or meat.
In addition, the tender leaves of this plant can be eaten blanched, boiled or fried, as well as added to soups.
Ivy Gourd has many health benefits and treats fever, bronchitis and osteoarthritis.
This plant is a creeper. In addition to the characteristics mentioned above, Ivy is excellent for decoration because it has attractive flowers.
- Italian Sweet Pepper
This pepper is a sort of chili pepper that is often used in Italian cuisine. It is often called frying pepper. This is because it gives an excellent aroma when fried in olive oil and is an ingredient in various dishes.
It can give dishes a delicate taste of spicy notes. That is why it is added to various dishes such as salads, pizzas, pasta and meat.
Moreover, fried can be served with bruschetta, scrambled eggs or sausages.
It has medium-thick essence, and in addition to stewing, it can be baked in the oven, grilled, filled with various fillings, and served as a snack.
While young, it is light green. However, when it is entirely ripped, have a bright red color.
It is equally used when it is young and fully ripe.
It is an indispensable ingredient in Italian cuisine in the summer months, and its stunning colors give a divine look to every dish.
- Indian cucumber
Indian cucumber is a plant from the Eastern part of North America and belongs to the lily family. It is also called Medeola virginiana and it is only recognized plant species from the genus Medeola.
This plant grows in forests and bears fruits that resemble the mild taste of cucumber, which is why it got its name. It is not recommended to consume fruits that grow in the wild. Only plants that human grows.
Some Indian tribes used it for medicinal purposes.
It has found its place in many culinary specialties. Like cucumber, it can be eaten fresh, and the roots and leaves are also edible.
Combining different kitchen ingredients to make a summer salad with yogurt is effortless.
It can be served as a side dish or part of various salads such as onion salad or simple Indian cucumber salad. You can also make pizza from them.
The possibilities are really different.
- Italian parsley
Italian parsley is a plant from the genus Parsley that is widely used in kitchens worldwide.
It is a plant with thin stems and dark flat leaves. These leaves have a fresh and robust taste.
It is also known as flat-leaved parsley and is sold in stalks. However, in the kitchen, primarily leaves are used, which can be added whole or chopped.
It can also be used dried, which has a slightly more muted taste than fresh.
This unique spice is available throughout the year and can be grown at home.
It goes best with dishes that take longer to cook, such as stews, soups, sauces, and pasta. They also go well with other spices.
Raw is usually added at the end of the preparation of the dish, and also it can be used for decoration because it has beautiful flat leaves that look great on the plate.
- Indian putat
This exciting plant grows in the coastal swamps of South Asia, across Afghanistan and the Philippines.
Indian putat is a tree that can grow up to 15 meters in height. Its leaves are oval-shaped, smooth and thick with reddish petioles.
The fruit has an oval shape and has seeds inside.
The young leaves of this plant are used fresh as food in combination with other vegetables, scampi or meat.
It has numerous health benefits so it can be used as an antibiotic.
Other vegetables start with I
- Indian peas
- Inca Bean from Peru
- Italian Artichoke
- Indian acalypha
- Indian spinach
Conclusion
We hope that we have fulfilled your expectations with our text.
You must have heard of some vegetables. And for the rest of the exotic and unusual vegetables, we tried our best to present them as well as possible and introduce you to all the advantages and their unique tastes.
This ultimate list is full of hits for those who like to cook to try something new and unique.
For the rest, vegetables are a significant part of the diet that will keep you full, satisfy all your senses, and, most importantly, affect your slim line.
The next time you find yourself in the store, look for some ultimate vegetables with the letter I. Be accessible and innovative.
Play around. Enjoy!
Read also: Vegetables That Start With N / Vegetables That Start With O