Don't Use These Food Scraps
By Sara Butler
With all the food wasted by Americans each year, many people are encouraging others to cook more with food scraps. You know, the parts of the vegetables or fruits you don't normally cook with? It's a great movement that has created some tasty recipes, such as using strawberry tops or citrus peels to make vinegar.
While this is a cool food movement, there are some food scraps that you should not use. Why? Some parts of fruits and vegetables simply aren't made for human consumption and are better off heading to your compost pile. Here are the food scraps you should not attempt to use no matter what!
Stems From Eggplants
Eggplants are tasty and versatile, but their stems are not. The stems of these vegetables, as with others in the nightshade family, contain something called solanine. This can lead to inflammation and can actually make some chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, worse. So you're better off staying far away from this part of the vegetable.
Skins From Mangos
There's no denying that mangos are a tasty treat that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways once you figure out how to get that darn skin off. Once you have it skinned, those skins need to go in the bin. They contain something called urushiol, a chemical that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. It is especially dangerous to anyone who has allergic reactions to poison sumac, poison oak, or poison ivy.
Green or Sprouted Potatoes
Everyone has come into contact with a green or sprouted spud before and maybe you've even gone on to use it -- but you really shouldn't. When potatoes are sprouted or green they have a higher concentration of solanine. This can lead to side effects such as vomiting, burning in the throat, headaches, itching, pain in the joints, eczema, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. However, simply cutting these parts away make the rest of the spud OK to use.
Rhubarb Leaves
Rhubarb is another delicious treat from the garden but you shouldn't try to use the leaves. The leaves are full of something called oxalic acid, which can lead to problems like kidney stones if eaten regularly. And kidney stones are a painful condition you should work to avoid at all costs!
Food scraps are great -- in some cases. In others, you should stay far away from them!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Magnolia, Tex.