+Why did you create this project?

I believe food is a powerful way for us to connect to each other, to our culture, and to the earth. Unfortunately, over-consumption of many food items is hurting our planet, and I think veg holds the answer to a more sustainable and healthy diet. I've written more about this in the mission statement.

+What is the Periodic Table of Veg?

Most of us have studied "The Periodic Table of Elements" in school. This handy table sorts chemical elements according to their recurring properties, in order of increasing atomic number.

I thought this format would beautifully contain and display the many veg we have to cook with. The Periodic Table of Veg organises vegetables in alphabetical order (so: Le - Leek, comes after Ka - Kale). When two veg have the same first letters, I added a third (so: Let - Lettuce, follows Len - Lentils). I've also grouped similar veg into subsets. For example, the squash family is grouped together on the bottom row of the table and labelled SqM for (Squash - Marrow) and SqP (Squash - Pumpkin).

+Where do you source nutritional information?

All nutrient information is from the most reliable databases available. My main sources include the USDA FoodData Central and NutritionalValue.Org, My secondary sources include NutrientOptimizer.com, Checkyourfood.com and MyFoodData.com. These are some of the most trusted sources in the industry.

+What criteria do you use to select the nutrients featured on each page?

Nutritional content for any one ingredient can vary significantly based on its quality, provenance, cooking method and more. Because of these many factors, I thought it would be best to avoid exact numbers but feature the nutrients that stand out.

Featured nutrients on each veggie element are based on the following criteria: the vegetable contains 10% or more of that specific nutrient in the vegetable’s raw form.

It goes without saying that some vegetables cannot and should not be consumed raw, but I found this universal criteria to be most helpful in providing a consistent framework.

This website is NOT meant to replace medical advice nor should it be used as the be-all end-all for nutrition guidance. A balanced and healthy diet can look very different from person to person, so if you need help please speak to your doctor or seek a certified nutritionist.

+Where did you source the Carbon Footprint Data?

All Carbon footprint data for the veg has been provided by the incredible team at Sufu - a company helping SMEs measure and decrease their climate impact. Through their low-carbon network small companies can take the steps needed to reduce their emissions.

+What is CO2e?

CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent, CO2 equivalent or CO2eq) is a strandard measure used to compare emissions by converting all greenhouse gas emissions to the equivalent amount of CO2. While a CO2 measure only accounts for carbon dioxide, CO2e wraps in the equivalent for carbon dioxide produced by all the other greenhouse gases, allowing for a more accurate and consice overall view of a food's emissions. Learn more at Sufu.co.

+How is the veg CO2e calculated?

Sufu provided UK emission data where possible, otherwise a European or US average is shown. Some veggie data is formulated on scientific assumptions based on how they are grown or the family of plants they are grown from, which is common practice. There are 5/90 veg without emission data because there have been no studies done on these veggies and assumption would not have been based sound.

+Is a vegan/vegetarian diet healthy?

I believe that whilst everyone should aim to eat a lot more veg and a lot less meat, there is no perfect formula to diet and nutrition. Gender, age, relationship with food, existing health needs, cultural practices and available food sources all play a role in the health equation. Let's be sensitive to each other and our diverse needs.

The recurring question about plant-based diets and health is usually one that revolves around protein. The Kerry Research institute for diet and nutrition recently released a report that emphasise the fact that in the “western world” we all get more than enough protein. This means that swapping out less “complete” veggie proteins for animal proteins should not represent an issue in most people’s lives. If you’d like to learn more about plant-based proteins, I suggest reading this article.

The Periodic Table of Veg’s goal is not to convert you to a vegan or veggie life, but rather to make the veggie choice more appealing and accessible.

+What are your sources for the UK seasonal veg?

One of my aims with this website is to help you choose vegetables that are in season in the UK. Buying seasonal vegetables usually ensures the ingredients are at their nutritional best. It also provides the added benefit of encouraging the purchase of locally sourced ingredients, helping reduce food miles (travel-based emissions) and supporting UK farmers.

The main sources I have turned to for seasonality are BBC Good Food, Eat The Seasons and The Vegetarian Society.

+Who created the vegetable illustrations?

All illustrations on the Periodic Table of Veg have been hand-painted by my friend Chiara Pandolfi, a brilliant artist and art therapist. Chiara is an incredibly talented and wonderful person, and I am incredibly grateful to her for having contributed so meaningfully to this project!

+How did you select the vegetables to feature?

I tried to create a comprehensive list of vegetables consumed in the UK across different cultural backgrounds. If you feel like I missed one, please get in touch by filling out the contact form.

+How did you select the featured recipes?

The aim of this website is to help people eat more delicious veg. I carefully researched and curated a set of recipes that are either vegetarian or vegan, in the hopes that you have all the tools and inspiration you need to spring into action.

If you are a recipe creator and would like me to remove your recipe from this site get in touch - I will always respect your wishes.

+I’d like to feature my own recipe, how do I go about it?

That’s wonderful to hear, thank you! If you have a vegan or vegetarian recipe online you would like to feature on the website, please send it my way. Just fill out the contact form and be sure to include a link to your recipe - I will review it as soon as possible.

+I spotted a mistake, what should I do?

Just fill out the contact form and let me know what you’ve spotted. Thank you for helping me make the Periodic Table Of Veg the best it can be.