Stop Tossing Those Tops: How to Eat Strawberries, Apples & Broccoli for Maximum Nutrition

Difficulty: Novice
Time: 2-5 minutes per fruit/vegetable
Cost: $0, uses food you already own

Why You'll Like This

Still cutting off strawberry tops, nibbling around apple cores, and binning broccoli stems? Most of us are. An NHS GP has pointed out that we are missing out on real nutritional perks by eating these everyday foods the "wrong" way, and medical professionals are highlighting how simple preparation mistakes could mean you're throwing away valuable nutrients that could boost your health. There is also the safety side to consider, since proper washing techniques are crucial for food safety. In short, use more of what you already buy and you raise the nutrient ceiling of your meals without spending extra.

Making the Most of Your Daily Five

Plenty of people still miss the mark on fruit and veg intake, as reminders from the NHS keep pointing out. The guidance is that fruits and vegetables should comprise just over one-third of daily food intake, with at least five portions of varied produce consumed daily.

Use the whole food, not just the familiar parts, and you raise nutrient density without changing your grocery list. Why it works: when you eat the complete plant, you get the full package of nutrients together, plus maximum fiber, and those combinations tend to play well with each other.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Strawberry leaves taste too bitter → Fix: Blend them into smoothies with sweet fruits, or use very ripe berries so natural sugars balance the bitterness.

Problem: Apple core feels too tough → Fix: Pick fresher, crisper apples and chew more thoroughly. Skip overripe fruit where the core turns woody.

Problem: Broccoli stems seem fibrous → Fix: Peel the outer layer completely and slice thinner for faster, even cooking.

Problem: Worried about pesticide residue → Fix: Wash under running water to remove most surface residues. Consider organic choices for heavily treated crops.

Variations & Upgrades

Budget-friendly: Buy conventional produce and wash well. The nutritional gains from eating more of the plant outweigh small residue concerns.

Meal prep: Pre-wash and prep broccoli stems on Sunday, store in the fridge for quick weekday cooking, use within 3 days.

Kid-friendly: Start with smoothies that include whole strawberries, then teach the idea of eating the whole food.

Advanced nutrition: Add radish leaves to salads, they contain vitamins C and A, with 100g providing almost a quarter of daily vitamin C needs.

Your next trip to the produce section does not have to change, but how you prep these foods can. Start small, try one strawberry with its leaves, finish an apple core, or slice broccoli stems into your next stir-fry. These little shifts turn ordinary produce into nutritional powerhouses while cutting food waste. Nature often tucks valuable compounds into the parts we were taught to toss, so keep more of the good stuff.