any poisonous greens?

[veggievamp]

I was at parents yesterday to get some stuff from garden and mentioned was gonna try the carrot tops in green smoothie and my mom went nuts saying they are poisonous. I told her people eat them, but got me wondering what IS poisonous? Always heard rhubarb leaves are but not much else.

Also, since my yard is full of weeds :rolleyes: wondering if any of them are not fit to eat. Course most of dog and cat pee on them :p Must be a good site out there that tells me what is what as far as weeds go? In books that talk of eating edible weeds I have yet to come across what I have in yard, cept the dandelions, most look like thistles that would hurt to eat!

[RowanC]

I've never eaten carrot tops.
I've never heard of anyone eating them.

I think your mother might be right in that you should research and be SURE what you're eating is safe.

One example: Poke - parts of the plant are toxic to some people.
Another example: potatoes or tomatoes - I personally would not eat the greens

Carrot greens are very much like poison hemlock, which may be why people don't eat them, but I'm sure. After reading your post a second time, I felt startled that you might just start putting weeds in the blender. People have been known to DIE from a very small piece of poison hemlock (which looks a LOT like carrot tops to the untrained person). People have died using oleander sticks to cook their hotdogs - also a plant that could kill you in a smoothie or a tea.

Please KNOW what you are eating from the yard or garden!!!

[Random Violin Guy]

In Green for Life Victoria Boutenko mentions that carrot greens are more nutritious than the roots. I love to get carrots from the store with their tops still on, and I'll throw the greens into my green soups and smoothies.

HOWEVER...

I've looked some stuff up online about foraging, and carrot greens could easily be mistaken for hemlock. Not good.

Wild carrots are also known as Queen Anne's Lace, by the way.

[Random Violin Guy]

dang, you beat me to it with the point about hemlock, RowanC. It's good to know that I remembered it right, though.

Oh yeah, that last post of mine was number 200. I suppose I'm a sprout now. :) hurrah!

[belle]

Ive also been told that carrot top greens are highly nutritious... I threw in the tops to a bunch of carrots yestarday in my Green Smoothie...

[luckitri]

Well they cannot be poisonous because the stores would not be allowed to sell them with the tops. They don't sell rhubarb greens - just the stalky part people cook for rhubarb pie.

I think it is best to be trained by someone who knows what they are doing. I was taught how to roll up a thistle and eat it so that the spines do not bother your mouth or intestine. (Put it in the side.)

[Bobbie]

I blend carrot tops in my soups and I haven't died yet.

[dread head vegan]

i've heard that nettles are good... i guess you have to let them dry.. i've tryed dadniloin greens. but i baught them at the store. don't really whant to pick them, 'cause of the dogs. :rolleyes:

[RowanC]

[QUOTE=luckitri;327086]Well they cannot be poisonous because the stores would not be allowed to sell them with the tops. They don't sell rhubarb greens - just the stalky part people cook for rhubarb pie.
QUOTE]

They sell morels in the store too, and they can be very toxic if eaten raw by most people.

They also sell many poisonous chemicals in supermarkets, including the chemicals on the produce in the salad aisle and the ones people put on their bodies and hair!

[luckitri]

morels must be a regional thing. Never seem them here. So if I move to another area I won't just be grabbing and trying stuff I know nothing about. Although I have done this with supermarket produce here - guess I just lucked out so far. They have alot of stuff that I am clueless as to what to do with - like the plantain leaves.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Ooops, i had green juice with a bunch of the green from carrots. So far so good. I agree if they would be toxic, they probably wouldn't allow them to be sell at the store.

I agree to do more research which got me thinking to research for a good book on what is eatable.

[dreamrawalwz]

If carrot greens were toxic wouldn't many of us be sick? I've read of juicing carrot tops.

[wyjoz]

I'v been using carrot tops in smoothies for two years now. Never got sick. Do not use them daily. Must rotate/change your greens.

Yes, Victoria now throws away carrots and uses only carrot tops! Joz

[Maria]

There is a book; The Patterson Guide to Edible Wild Plants. The pictures are pretty good.

Maria

[veggievamp]

I have started reading Green For Life and she talks for mixing up what greens you use. Just wondering how much is necessary. This may not matter in reality for me, but once winter comes, there just isn't as much variety here and it all gets really expensive! :mad: Actually, there isn't much variety in summer, which is why I wondered about what is poisonious so I could maybe harvest some wild stuff in summer. Sounds like I need a book!

[veggievamp]

Ok, that is weird! As soon as I posted, you posted about this book - spooky... LOL

[wyjoz]

, but once winter comes, there just isn't as much variety here and it all gets really expensive! :mad:


In winter you can use

carrot tops
beet tops
boc choy (baby ones)
broccoli
spinach
salad (organic) mixes
parsley cilantro


I grow chard and kale parsley; all winter here in so oregon. it does not get big like in summer but it grows, also beets, and in a Window box I grow spinach and salad mix. Winter is a challange in many parts. My sis in Connecticut has to go to 4 stores to get some kale, chard, mustard greens etc. but she finds them. hope this helps. Joz

[RowanC]

There is a book; The Patterson Guide to Edible Wild Plants. The pictures are pretty good.

Maria

Yes, but I think it is PETERSON's book, not Patterson?
Or are there two?

[GreenPrince]

Carrot tops is a traditional feedstuff for domestic animals at the farms.

Pet animals as guineapigs, rabbits and cage birds like carrot tops too and eat them without any problem.

People usually don't eat carrot greens. I don't know why. I think carrot tops really could be a nice part of greens smoothies.
However, there are some oxalic acid in carrot tops.

Here are some medical effects of a combination of carrot tops, mint and parsley. Suggestion, put them fresh in your blender:
http://www.carrottoptea.com (http://www.carrottoptea.com)