are broccoli leaves toxic

And I’m talking the broad outer leaves that surround a head of broccoli, not the few tiny and uninspiring leaves stuck to the head of store-bought broccoli.

Most people don’t realize that you can eat broccoli leaves, or that they’re just as edible and delicious as the broccoli head itself. And I can’t blame them, considering broccoli always comes in a neat little package at the grocery store or farmers’ market.

It’s a surprise to many people that the broccoli we buy and eat is actually a very small portion of the plant itself. So where does the rest of it go?

Most parts of the broccoli plant (​Brassica oleracea​ ​var. italica​) can be eaten, from the immature flowers to the stalks and even the leaves. The only parts of broccoli that have been shown to be poisonous are the seeds and roots.
are broccoli leaves toxic

How to harvest broccoli leaves

If you grow your own broccoli, you can start to harvest a few of the outer (older) leaves every week once they reach 4 to 6 inches long.

After the plant forms a crown, you can harvest the broccoli head but continue to pick the leaves until you can no longer keep up… seriously!

Broccoli is an incredible cut-and-come-again crop, and new leaves remain tender even when the rest of the plant is getting tall and unwieldy.

When I lived in Southern California, I could keep my broccoli growing year-round in the mild coastal climate (zone 10b).

These second-year plants were still thriving despite having all the crowns harvested moons ago, and on some of the plants, I’d stripped them clean of leaves to cook with!

are broccoli leaves toxic

(It’s hard to tell without a frame of reference, but the tallest broccoli plant in the back had grown almost 5 feet tall!)

Let’s just say… we got our fill and didn’t grow anymore broccoli the following year.

are broccoli leaves toxic

Health benefits of broccoli and broccoli leaves

Broccoli is considered one of the most nutritious vegetables on the market, providing 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin C in a single cup of chopped broccoli.

It contains a full nutritional lineup of B vitamins, potassium, iron, calcium, minerals, and fiber.

When compared to the stems, the florets have a higher concentration of protective phytochemicals like beta carotene and sulforaphane (the latter of which has been shown to protect against certain cancers).

But broccoli leaves are their own superfood, with even higher amounts of beta carotene than the florets, along with vitamin A (which is important for vision and skin health) and phytonutrients that aren’t found in the florets or stems.

That means if you’re a gardener who’s used to composting broccoli leaves or ignoring them while you wait for the heads to form, you are missing out on the many free health benefits of this amazing crop.

are broccoli leaves toxic

4 Reasons to Eat Broccoli Leaves |I Can’t STOP Eating Them Now!|

FAQ

Is it safe to eat broccoli leaves?

Broccoli leaves can be prepared the same ways as kale, Swiss chard or collard and mustard greens. Try them in soups, salads or sandwiches, or even blended into a smoothie.

Are broccoli stems poisonous?

But the stems can absolutely be eaten if you treat them right, and are completely delicious—like the florets, but more mild and sweet, almost like kohlrabi. How do you “treat them right,” you ask?

Are broccoli leaf stalks edible?

A: You definitely can, and should! Broccoli stems are full of fibre and nutrients. I usually take off the outer ‘rind’ as this can be a bit stringy, then slice the stalk thinly and add it to my dishes just like that. Broccoli stalk is great in stir-fries, curries, pasta – wherever you use the rest of your broccoli.

Is it safe to eat flowering broccoli?

Yes, you can. You can cook them along with the rest of the broccoli or you can snip them off and eat them raw. They make a colorful addition to a salad and people will be asking what they are. Broccoli flowers are just one part of broccoli that too often gets thrown away.

Is broccoli bad for You?

But when you start to dig a bit deeper, an alarming picture emerges for just how bad broccoli is for you. To start with, broccoli is a well-described goitrogen. Goitrogens are chemicals that suppress the function of the thyroid gland by interfering with iodine uptake, a key mineral needed to make thyroid hormone.

What are the side effects of eating broccoli in large quantities?

The most common side effect of eating broccoli in large quantities is gas or bowel irritation, caused by broccoli’s high amounts of fiber.

Can you eat broccoli leaves?

If you want to try eating broccoli leaves, you need to know proper harvest and storage technique. Harvest leaves in the morning or evening so the cut area can heal in the coolest part of the day. Never harvest more than 1/3 of the leaves, or the plant will suffer. Use clean implements to sever the leaf just before the petiole meets the main stem.

Can you eat too much Broccoli?

Even though there are some hypothetical risks from eating too much broccoli, they are more than outweighed by the health benefits. That is what matters here: the overall balance for what it means to your health and broccoli breaks the scales here for health benefits.

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