What cultivation process for Belgian endives can alter their final nutritional composition?
Answer
Blanching (growing them in the dark)
Nutritional density, while generally high across all endive varieties, can show variations dependent on how they are grown and prepared prior to sale. For Belgian endives, the process necessary to produce the pale, tight head involves intentionally growing them in darkness, which is referred to as blanching. This controlled exclusion of light, compared to field-grown, sun-exposed varieties, can result in differences in the final nutritional makeup of the vegetable. Despite these potential compositional shifts due to blanching, both the pale, forced variety and the sun-exposed types remain highly nutritious selections.
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