A nutritious part of your root veggies ends up in the rubbish

Think twice before discarding the leafy greens on your carrots, beetroots and turnips - you may just be throwing out nutritional gold.

Not only are the leafy tops of these root vegetables perfectly edible, they contain exceptional amounts of potassium, which is essential in regulating blood pressure and in reducing risk of stroke. Most greens have potassium levels comparable to bananas - everyone's go-to for a potassium boost.

They also contain vitamin C and K, calcium, and iron. Turnip greens come up trumps with additional high levels of protective beta-carotene.

Most supermarkets remove the greens to prolong the shelf life of vegetables because they sap moisture from the roots and make them wilt. Getting your hands on a bunch of veggies with healthy leaves still intact is not only a sure sign of absolute freshness, but gives you a bonus ingredient to play with in the kitchen.

If you want to cook your greens, prepare them as you would spinach or chard - remove more fibrous stalks after rinsing and you are all set to go green.

They add a fresh spin on stir fries, can be torn into strips and added to soups and pasta sauces, or included in the mix in creating sensational seasonal salads.

• The author of this article, Daniel Jardim, teaches cookery retreats and workshops around South Africa with an emphasis on staying healthy with the seasons. Visit seasonalcookery.co.za