Toxic or Not?

[Zipfelmuetze]

I just read somewhere that carrot tops are toxic and should not be juiced. I sometimes buy the organic carrots that come with the tops and juice the whole thing. Please tell me this is safe!

Also, what is the deal with juicing sweet potato? I seem to find both a yes and no answer when I search for answers. I really think that more research needs to be done on the safety of juicing since juicing is turning into such a common thing. It seems rather complicated sometimes when someone starts saying not to add a certain fruit or vegetable with another certain fruit or vegetable.

I can sense my stress levels rising, and this is, of course, the last thing I want for my body when I am trying to detox. Can you recommend a good book to follow, because the internet is such a huge resource of information, but it gives me headaches when I see contradictions.

[sport]

I juice the carrot tops and I add them to smoothies but I can not assure you that they are not toxic.
I was going to say "how could they be" but we all know that rhubarb leaves are very toxic and yet the stems are not.

[sport]

http://www.ohsu.edu/poison/documents/mildlyToxicPlants.pdf
They are listed here on a list of "mildly toxic foods"

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg1210074232050.html
This site does not agree and considers them edible but I would think that they would not have as much as we would.

There is some debate about whether you can eat the green leaves.
Despite the presence of celery and carrots in the carrot family of Apiaceae ("umbellifers"), many other members of the family are highly poisonous, but not carrot.
They ARE edible and are highly nutritive, rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. The tops of the carrots are loaded with potassium which can make them bitter, so the use of them in food is limited, but there some ideas and recipes below. The tops are antiseptic and can be juiced and used as a mouthwash.

However, it is edible, so you may mix some in with a mixed lettuce salad. You may also use it for garnish. Combine your common sense and your creative skills, and invent something! That's what makes cooking fun. It is a form of art. Carrot greens are high in vitamin K, which is lacking in the carrot itself.
Carrot tops are an outstanding source of chlorophyll, the green pigment that studies have shown to combat the growth of tumours. Chlorophyll contains cleansing properties that purify the blood, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands. Scientists have been unable to synthesize chlorophyll in the laboratory, but green plant foods contain sufficient quantities to protect the human body.
The leaves do contain furocoumarins that may cause allergic contact dermatitis from the leaves, especially when wet. Later exposure to the sun may cause mild photodermatitis. (This is NOT the same as 'poisonous' - it will only affect susceptible people with allergies to the plant. Some people have the same reaction to yarrow, ragwort, chamomile etc.)

This is a post I got from another site

There is a distinct difference between toxins and allergens. Carrots (Daucus carota), whether wild or domesticated, are not toxic, they are allergenic. This is like peanuts, which are not toxic but can kill those who are allergic to them.
It is however important that any wild plant be positively identified before it is used for food.
The tiny tops have tiny almost feathery branches. Carrot seedlings look a lot like bindweed. It takes a while to figure out the differences. Bindweed is redder and the leaf arrangement looks sort of branchy.

[Revvell]

I've juiced them and I'm still here! For me, it's like any green ~ rotate! rotate! rotate!

[siennagray]

Most places that say to avoid carrot tops are due to the bitterness. Viktoria Boutenko has a nutritional profile for them in Green for Life, and they really do pack a powerhouse of nutrition.

[Zipfelmuetze]

Alright, I'll keep juicing them. How about the sweet potato though? I juiced this again today and it is just too yummy! I'm also dehydrating a cracker mix I created with the carrot and sweet potato pulp.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i just both...