We toss away cabbage leaves, chop off turnip greens, and peel through potato skins. But many are unaware that when they do this, they are mindless throwing away tons of nutrients!
In some cases, the part we discard is even more nutritious than the part we include in our meal! Beet greens, for example, have more than 8 times the nutritional content of beet roots!
Here are 5 more vegetables you can eat root to stem and get the most nutritional bang for your buck!
Turnips
You can enjoy both the crunchy root of a turnip along with its leafy greens! Like with beets, the greens of the turnip also contain far more vitamins and minerals that the root. You can also eat the greens of radishes like you would turnip!
Chard
There is no doubt that chard is known for its huge, leafy greens, but we shouldn’t forget about their beautiful stems. Chard stems can be chopped small and sauteed, providing a great crunch to offset the texture of wilted leaves.
Broccoli
Most of us are use to just eating the broccoli florets, but what you may not realize is stalk is edible too! The stalk can be shaved and added to any slaw.
Potatoes
It is hard to find a recipe that doesn’t instruct you to peel your potatoes first. But, this is where you find most of the plant’s fiber. So next time the direction calls for peeling your potato, be a rebel and let them show some skin.
Carrots
It is hard to find a carrot that still has its greens attached! So it is no wonder why most people have never eaten them! But carrot tops can add great depth to dishes. Some people can be a bit sensitive to carrot greens, so test the waters by eating a small amount your first time.
Not only is eating the entire vegetable a huge boost of nutrition, it is also much more cost effective! And you are much more likely to find these veggies with all their parts intact through local farmers than you are at the supermarket.
So the next time you are cruising around the farmers market, think of those radishes and beets with their greens as an awesome 2-for-1 deal!
Check out these ideas for using your vegetables root-to-stem. And if you are interesting in learning more about eating root-to-stem, her is another great article!
Bio
Hannah Eddy is currently a dietetic intern through Fontbonne University, where she is also getting her Master’s in Multidisciplinary Health Communication Studies. When she isn’t running through Forest Park or chowing down at Food Truck Fridays, you can find her writing for her holistic health and nutrition blog, The Wholey Trinity.