What We Don't Know About Root-Vegetable Tops
Published: 2019-10-17Tags: от лехата до устата, Листни зеленчуци, листа от репички
Translation
This is a translation of a Bulgarian-language post. It conveys the content faithfully but is not the author's original English writing.
Many root vegetables — carrots, turnips, radishes and beetroot — are grown for the roots, while their leaves are thrown away or composted. What a shame to waste all the nutrients and flavour of these greens!
In all the years I have been eating carrots (and that is many), I never once thought to eat their green tops. I always cleaned and peeled my carrots, tossing everything into the compost, because I assumed carrot greens were simply inedible. Oh, how wrong I was!
Are carrot tops poisonous? (Short answer: no!)
They can be slightly bitter, and bitterness is often associated with poison, so I wonder whether that is where the assumption came from — because I have heard rumours that carrot tops are poisonous, but that is not actually true.
It turns out they are perfectly edible and loaded with vitamins and minerals. There was a persistent belief that the alkaloids in carrot leaves make them slightly dangerous to eat, but now we all know that alkaloids are a substance found in almost every leafy vegetable.
Because of their high vitamin C content — six times that of the roots — adding carrot leaves to your diet, alongside other healthy foods, can help protect your immune system. In the coming season they can even help your body fight off coughs and colds, while also ensuring healthy, glowing skin.
A rich source of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll contains powerful phytonutrients that work to prevent the growth and formation of tumours. Research shows that carrot leaves have the ability to inhibit the growth of tumour cells, which in turn limits the division of malignant cells.
Effects on the kidneys: acting as a mild diuretic, chlorophyll helps stimulate the flow of urine, while its detoxifying properties help filter the kidneys, thereby reducing the risk of oedema, as well as helping to fight kidney stones or dissolve those already formed.
Effects on the colon: chlorophyll's detoxifying effects also help loosen and cleanse the colon, while the dietary fibre helps push out accumulated waste, promoting better absorption of nutrients.
Good for heart health: including carrot greens in your diet can support good heart health, since their high potassium content and antioxidant properties work to regulate blood pressure and protect the heart from free-radical damage.
For bone health: the high magnesium content in chlorophyll helps tone, contract and relax the muscles, while vitamin K helps increase bone density. Carrot greens contain a combination of both, so having them in significant amounts can contribute to bone health, reducing the chances of bone-related problems such as osteoporosis.
What can you do with carrot leaves, which are very reminiscent of parsley, have a slightly grassy taste and vaguely remind you of… well, carrots?
They can be eaten raw in salads, although the taste may be a little bitter. Consider softening the greens by blanching them; stew them with olive oil, garlic and some of your other favourite vegetables; or cook them into a soup or sauce.
And what about turnip leaves?
I do have something to say:
One of the little-known superfoods! If you have never even heard of such a thing, or cannot imagine the antioxidant properties of turnip leaves, let me just whisper that they are in the top 5 foods rich in vitamin E, the top 10 foods rich in beta-carotene, the top 15 in manganese and the top 20 in vitamin C!!! Besides that, they are super tasty, both raw — in a salad, sandwich, pesto or smoothie — and in many recipes, for example as an addition to soups, sauces, vegetarian lasagne, or simply quickly stewed with your favourite sauce!
Let us make an agreement and stop throwing away the leaves of root vegetables from now on. We're agreed, yes? 😃
(On Saturday at the Roman Wall farmers' market, at the "Grown with Love" stand, you will find turnip, beet, carrot and radish leaves, as well as other greens such as kale, chard, broccoli leaves and baby salad mixes.)
