prevent the development of cancer. Because
the wet, warm conditions of sprout production
also favor the growth of microbes, raw sprouts
are frequently a cause of food poisoning. They
should be bought as fresh as possible and kept
refrigerated, and are safest when cooked
thoroughly.
Leaves: Lettuces,
Cabbages, and Others
Leaves are the quintessential vegetable.
They’re usually the most prominent and
abundant parts of a plant, and they’re
nutritious enough that many of our primate
relatives eat little else. The salad of raw
greens is a truly primeval dish! People also
cook and eat the leaves of many different
plants, from weeds to root and fruit crops. In
temperate regions, nearly all the tender leaves
of spring are edible, and were traditionally a
welcome harbinger of the new crops to come