Should I eat the stems or not?

[Yusth]

When eating greens – should I eat only the leafs,or the stems as well? Some people told me that only the leafs havethe healthy ingredients, and the stems are pretty muchuseless....wonder if it is like that.

 

[Lev Butlerov]

It is perfectly fine to eat the stems as well. Theymay be harder to chew, but there are no particular benefits to them,or disadvantages. Some say that they accumulate the nitrates from thechemicals used in agriculture. However, even if there are thenitrates, they will be in the entire green, not only in the stem.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

Eat both - just cook it all well.

 

[stevesmi]

both have benefits.

 

[muskate]

The reverse is actually true - the stems and roots have more nutritional benefits then the leaves. That's why supplement extracts are always derived from the roots of the plants.

Eat both! No point throwing out the stems.

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

When it comes to veggies, eat the whole thing.

 

[Yusth]

That is unexpected what you say Muskate! Is there any difference apart from nutrient amounts between the stems and leafs?

 

[stevesmi]

that is a good question and it would depend on what you are eating

 

[Lev Butlerov]

Sincere there is no particular harm from eating the stems, why not eat both the leafs and the stems? If they have the same nutritional value, you will be getting double the amounts of the nutrients. If they are different, you will be benefiting with more variety. It is a win-win situation.

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

If it is edible like broccoli then just eat it. I wouldn't be trying to chew through the woody ends of asparagus though.