Crudités

Crudites

Origin
Place of origin	France
Details
Course served	Hors d'oeuvre
Main ingredient(s)	Raw vegetables, vinaigrette or dipping sauce

Celery and carrot crudité platter

Crudités are traditional French appetizers consisting of sliced or whole raw vegetables which are sometimes dipped in a vinaigrette or other dipping sauce. Crudités often include celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, and asparagus spears; sometimes olives, depending on local custom.

Healthy eating

Crudités are generally quite high in healthy nutrients and dietary fiber, and low in calories, fats, sodium, sugars, and cholesterol. However, the accompanying dip can be high in sodium, sugar, and possibly fats, although in the case of a vinaigrette, salsa or hummus typically not in saturated or trans fats. Other dips, such as cheese sauces or dips based on cream, sour cream, or mayonnaise, may have high saturated fat content.

Note that crudités alone do not make for a complete meal, since they lack some nutrients, such as protein, unless a high-protein dip such as hummus is used.

Since they are uncooked, crudités must be washed carefully to remove any bacterial contamination. Some dips may also spoil quickly, if left warm and uncovered. Placing the dip, and perhaps the vegetables, in an ice-water bath will slow bacterial growth, as will covering them when they are not being served.

See also

• List of hors d'oeuvre

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