Stems, skins, and the tops of fruits and veggies carry even more nutrients than the fruit or vegetable itself. If you’re already buying beautiful, fresh, and perhaps even local and organic produce, then why waste a quarter to a half of it? Unless you’re composting, you’re getting rid of essential veggie nutrition that could be beneficial to you.
Vegetable stems, including kale, collards, parsley, and Swiss chard, are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and nutrients because the stem is the component that is rooted in the soil. The skin of most fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, potatoes, squashes, and even kiwi contain antioxidants, fiber, and other health-promoting properties.
