• Home
  • Nutrition advice
  • Fitness advice
  • Beauty advice
  • Recipes
  • About the Experts
English | Español

Discover Good
  • Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty

Eating Root to Leaf: Consume Every Part of Your Fruits and Veggies


 Posted by Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training  0 Comment

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
Loading ... Loading ...

Broccoli stalks have nutrient benefits.

Those fruit and veggie stalks, stems and peels you’re throwing away can add flavor and nutrition to your meals.

Have you heard the term “nose to tail eating”? It’s a concept that aims to reduce food waste by encouraging the use of all parts of an animal during food preparation.

Another similar trend – called “root to leaf eating” – is really the same concept applied to plants. Rather than throwing away skins, stems, stalks and peels, the aim of root-to-leaf is to make use of as many parts of the plant as possible when preparing meals.

The average American throws away about $1,600 worth of fruits and vegetables every year, and much of what we toss consists of plant parts that are perfectly usable, delicious and nutritious. Rather than tossing them in the trash or the compost heap, you can make use of some of your plant discards to increase your nutrient intake.

Beet and turnip greens take a little longer to cook than more tender greens like spinach or chard, but they’re equally delicious. If your supermarket sells your beets or turnips with the tops still on, you’re in luck – you get two veggies for the price of one. Like other leafy greens, they’re loaded with nutrients – especially vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, folic acid, copper and potassium.

Broccoli stalks are often tossed out, but they’re rich in nutrients – especially vitamin C, folate, fiber and a phytonutrient compound called sulforaphane, which acts as an antioxidant. They can be finely shredded into a salad or slaw, or added to soup during the last few minutes of cooking. You can also try slicing them into ¼-inch thick slices, adding a little olive oil and salt, and roasting them in a hot oven until tender.

Carrot and fennel tops make a nice garnish, but they’re also completely edible and can be snipped into salads, sautéed with a little olive oil and salt to make a fresh sauce for grilled chicken or fish, or made into a pesto with olive oil, nuts and garlic. Carrot tops have more vitamin C than carrots themselves, and fennel tops are a good source of B vitamins.

Celery leaves are delicious, and I’m always surprised when people throw them away. I actually look for the leafiest bunch when I buy celery because I love to add the leaves to green salads, sandwiches and soups. Like the stalks, the leaves are a good source of vitamin C.

Citrus Peel contains compounds called bioflavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Finely grate the peel (avoid the white part, which tends to be bitter), and add to salad dressings, cooked vegetables or smoothies. You can also add strips of fresh peel to enhance the flavor of water, mineral water or tea, or add some citrus zest into the water when you cook rice.

Stems from leafy greens like chard, kale and collard greens can be tough, so many people cut them out before cooking the greens. But you can chop them coarsely and add them to dishes like soups and stews – they’ll soften with the long cooking times. Or cut them finely and sauté with a little oil and garlic or onion until they begin to soften, then add the leafy tops and finish cooking. You can treat green cauliflower leaves the same way. Adding the greens and stems of these nutrition powerhouses boosts your intake of vitamins A, K, iron, potassium and fiber.

Strawberry tops are great to add to a pitcher of drinking water or to hot or cold tea. They’ll add a bit of flavor and a dash of vitamin C to your drink.

« Athletes: Why Breakfast is So Important
Making Diet Resolutions? Try Diet Changes Instead »

    Share This


Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training
Susan is the Senior Director of Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife, where she is responsible for the development of nutrition education and training materials, and is one of the primary authors of the Herbalife-sponsored blog, www.discovergoodnutrition.com. She is a Registered Dietitian and holds two Board Certifications from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, and a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. Susan is also a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Susan graduated with distinction in biology from the University of Colorado, and received her master’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Colorado State University. She then completed her dietetic internship at the University of Kansas. Susan has taught extensively and developed educational programs targeted to individuals, groups and industry in her areas of expertise, including health promotion, weight management and sports nutrition. Prior to her role at Herbalife, she was the assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, and has held appointments as adjunct professor in nutrition at Pepperdine University and as lecturer in nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Susan was a consultant to the (then) Los Angeles Raiders for six seasons, and was a contributing columnist for the Los Angeles Times Health Section for two years. She is a co-author of 23 research papers, 14 book chapters, and was a co-author of two books for the public: “What Color is Your Diet?” and “The L.A. Shape Diet” by Dr. David Heber, published by Harper Collins in 2001 and 2004, respectively.


  • Search

  • Sign Up for Updates

  • Meal Plans

    • 1200 calorie diet
      Try This 3-Day 1200 Calorie Diet Plan
    • Streamline Your Diet With This Healthy 1500 Calorie Plan
    • 2200 calorie diet
      Sample Menus for a 2200 Calorie Diet Plan
    • personalized diet
      How to Create a Personalized Diet Plan
    • 1800 calorie diet
      Healthy 1800 Calorie Diet Plan
  • Fitness advice

    • resistance bandBody Blast: Resistance Band Workout
    • Boost Your Workout With These Exercises
    • exercise personalityHow to Identify and Use Your Exercise Personality
    • glutesVIDEO: Exercises for glutes: Samantha Clayton's glute-blasting workout
    • Create a Personalized Circuit Training Workout in 5 Easy Steps
  • Beauty advice

    • Style makeoverStyle Makeover: 8 New Trends to Try
    • 5 Tips to Soothe and Treat a Sunburn
    • healthy hairHow Good Nutrition Promotes Healthy Hair
    • Manage Holiday Stress in the Name of Beauty
    • clean face7 Face Cleansing Tips for Healthier Skin
  • Nutrition advice

    • supertasterAre You a Supertaster?
    • Chefs' diet secrets
    • healthy behaviorHealthy Behavior: Making Healthy Diet Changes that Last
    • diet techniquePopular Dieting Tools and Techniques
    • Heart healthHeart health: How to fine tune your diet in 5 easy steps



Privacy Policy | CCPA Suplemmental Notice

Copyright © 2019 Herbalife International of America, Inc.