Nutritional value of leaves versus stalks

amandstu

Say you are cooking Kale, is it wasteful to strip off the leaves and discard the centre of the leaves?

I imagine the leaves themselves have more vitamins but are the centres (the spine of the leaves) also nutritious in different ways?

Mellor

I'd imagine the stalks have more fibre. But it's really splitting hairs worrying about the difference imo

amandstu

Mellor wrote: »

I'd imagine the stalks have more fibre. But it's really splitting hairs worrying about the difference imo

OK ,what about the inside cabbage leaves? They are tenderer and more palatable but are they devoid of nutritional content because they gave not seen the sun?


A different question I know but it has been on my mind a long time (applies to lettuce as well of course)

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amandstu wrote: »

OK ,what about the inside cabbage leaves? They are tenderer and more palatable but are they devoid of nutritional content because they gave not seen the sun?


A different question I know but it has been on my mind a long time (applies to lettuce as well of course)

Seriously?
What has the world come to?
Eat a balanced diet. Enjoy life. Don't obsess over which part if the lettuce leaf has more or less nutrients than another, this is really taking things too far.

amandstu

Juliana Worried Zap wrote: »

Seriously?
What has the world come to?
Eat a balanced diet. Enjoy life. Don't obsess over which part if the lettuce leaf has more or less nutrients than another, this is really taking things too far.

This is supposed to be a "Nutrition and Diet" forum. Maybe I can get a straight (scientific) answer from someone who has that information to hand.

Alf Veedersane

amandstu wrote: »

OK ,what about the inside cabbage leaves? They are tenderer and more palatable but are they devoid of nutritional content because they gave not seen the sun?


A different question I know but it has been on my mind a long time (applies to lettuce as well of course)

Inner leaves are not devoid of nutrients. The outer leaves do tend to have a relatively higher nutrient content.

But the absolute quantities are not going to make a meaningful difference

amandstu

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Inner leaves are not devoid of nutrients. The outer leaves do tend to have a relatively higher nutrient content.

But the absolute quantities are not going to make a meaningful difference

thanks. Any idea where I could research that kind of information on the internet?Or is it something you would pick up along the way as part of a formal educational course?

Alf Veedersane

I can't remember where I had read it but I remember reading, once upon a time, that sunlight causes a greater level of synthesis of vitamins in plants. Percentage wise, it looks greater but the absolute quantities make the difference negligible.

I don't know of any specific sources off the tip of my head but I'm sure there are studies done in biochemistry, food science etc that will give information and data.