Food–Where does it come from Notes

STEM

•    A stem is a part of a plant that holds the whole plant.

•    It bears leaves and it acts as a trunk of a tree.

•    Its function is to transport food substances to all other parts of the plant.

•    Some edible parts of the plant are consumed by us.

Example:

Bamboo:

1. The shoots of bamboo are edible.

LEAVES

•    Most plant’s food is made in their leaves.

•    Leaves are designed to capture sunlight which the plant uses to make food through a process called photosynthesis.

•    Leaves are consumed in small quantities as a spice also like oregano for medicinal purposes.

•    Leaves of plants like lettuce, spinach, cabbage, coriander, mint, and basil are consumed.

FLOWERS

•    Flowers are the beautiful part of the plant.

•    Flowers provide less food than other major plant parts (seeds, fruits, roots, stems and leaves) but they provide several important foods and spices.

•    Flower vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower.

•    Flower spices are cloves and capers.

•    The most expensive spice – saffron (kesar).