Whether you eat green vegetables or root vegetables, they are a great way to get dietary fiber and vitamin C (which is great for your immune system) into your diet. Enter your email & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Hurry the Food Up. You may not have seen most of these in your local grocery store, but all the more fascinating I think. There are various types of veg in this list but they are all edible plants. Have you guessed all 10 yet? If I’ve missed any be sure to let me know in the comments.
Let’s get into this top 10 vegetables beginning with I!
Remembering lots of quiz knowledge is definitely a learning process, but the following list is a great place to start as it’s not too long – take a look!
Iceberg lettuce
This is a well-known and popular leafy vegetable, especially in the United States. It has little flavor or nutritional value, however, because it’s mostly water. It got its name from looking like an iceberg when it was partly buried in ice for transport. The scientific name for lettuce is Lactuca sativa.
Ice cream bean
This is a legume plant native to South America. Although a bean, it actually has a sweet flavor, said to be reminiscent of vanilla ice cream (so you will also see it in my list of fruits). They tend to be eaten as a snack. The scientific name is Inga edulis.
Indian corn
Indian or flint corn is a variegated, pretty-looking corn variety. It has a low water content so is hardy to freezing conditions. Although edible, it is popular as an ornamental plant. The scientific name is Zea mays var. indurata.
Indian cucumber
The roots of the Indian cucumber plant are said to smell and taste like a cucumber, which is how it got its name. The plant is part of the lily family and was a popular vegetable with the Native Americans. The scientific name is Medeola virginiana.
Indian peas
Part of the legume family, the Indian pea is a blue flowering plant that is consumed in Asia and East Africa. It is sold as a pulse in Italy, and it is also used to make flour. The scientific name is Lathyrus sativus.
Irish moss
Irish moss is a red algae that is grown in rocky parts of the Atlantic coastline. Although not eaten on its own it has some interesting uses in daily life. These include as a thickener to milk products like ice cream, calico printing, and paper marbling. The scientific name is Chondrus crispus.
Italian parsley
This variety is widely used in cuisine and is also known as flat-leaf parsley. It can be eaten fresh or dried and found in most farmer’s markets. The scientific name is Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum.
Italian red onion
The red onion variety from Tropea in Italy is more aromatic. It also has a sweet taste, unlike other varieties. The middle can be juicier and is a great base for making chutneys. The scientific name is Allium cepa.
Italian sweet peppers
Also known as friggitello and pepperoncini, this vegetable is yellow in color. It goes well in salads and sandwiches. They can also be pickled and sauteed. The scientific name is Capsicum annuum.
Ivy gourd
When this vegetable is ripe it is a bright red color. It is often stuffed or deep-fried and is a popular food in Indian cuisine.The young veg is used to make pickle. The scientific name is Coccinia grandis. Whether you’re looking to add some new veggies to your healthy lifestyle, or you’re just interested in learning different types of vegetables, I’m sure you’ll agree that this list will help you do both! The best thing is that even though it was a fairly short list they were from all over the world. From Italy and Ireland to various Asian countries and even the tropical regions of Central America. Sometimes you can only eat parts of plants, sometimes you can eat the entire plant – there is just such an interesting selection! Next time, try to guess the list of vegetable names first and see how many you get right (then try the same with our list of vegetables that start with d!). If you’re interested check out the fruits that start with the letter I and the foods that start with the letter I lists! Or go chronologically and move onto vegetables that start with J, then vegetables that start with K!
