Are you trying to reduce your food waste while increasing your nutritional intake? Well, think twice before throwing away the stems, stalks and leaves from your fresh produce.
We spoke to two of South Africa’s leading proponents of natural whole food diets to get their tips on how to get every bit of nutritional goodness from the foods you eat and in so doing reduce food waste.
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Stems, stalks and leaves
Antonia De Luca, founder and owner of Leafy Greens Café in the west of Johannesburg, explains that the stems, stalks and leaves of many root vegetables are often discarded, yet they contain most of the nutritional value of the food.
“Take carrot tops as an example”, says De Luca, who recently released a recipe book and a range of raw and vegan-friendly packed foods.
“Research shows that the carrot top has more nutritional value than the orange root, and there’s less carbs and none of the natural sugar in that part of the carrot. The tops of younger carrots can also be cut up and included in salads for extra flavour. The same applies to beetroot tops.”
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A nutritional boost
Matthew Ballenden, founder of the Fresh Earth food store, agrees. “A salad made with the stalks of cauliflower and broccoli and the leaves of beetroot, celery and radish is a great way to cut down on food waste while also giving your meal a nutritional boost.”
Beetroot tops are loaded with calcium, magnesium and iron, while broccoli stalks contain more fibre, vitamin C and calcium than the florets we’re used to eating.
“Furthermore, while the celery stalks are full of fibre, by throwing away the leaves – the real nutrient powerhouses – you’re missing out on beneficial sources of magnesium and calcium, in doses five times greater than those contained in the stalks”, states Ballenden.
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Get your greens
“Similarly, beet greens are also richer in antioxidants, fibre, calcium, and iron than the sweet bulb we’re used to eating.”
Strawberry leaves are another great option as they contain tannins. These biomolecules bind to proteins, amino acids, alkaloids and other compounds with a low pH that may place excess stress on your digestive system.
Strawberry leaves may therefore help to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort, reduce symptoms of nausea, bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. They also contain essential minerals and vitamins that may offer a wide range of benefits. Strawberry leaves are also often used to brew tea.
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A few additional ways you can add leaves and stems to your diet include:
- Broccoli and swiss chard stems make a great base for stir fries.
- Collard, kale or parsley stems are ideal for use as a soup stock.
- Add the stems and leaves from various fruits and vegetables to your smoothies, or you can juice them to extract their nutritional goodness.
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Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
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