Hey all – Kelly found this on facebook last week and shared it with me, but I think it’s worth knowing.
So many of us have urban gardens now and are learning to grow our own fruits, veggies and herbs throughout the summer season. I’ve been tediously pulling and composting these fortified “holey” leaves for the past couple months thinking – if they’re not perfect I’m not going to eat them.
Turns out – just wash them up and start using them. Here’s a couple pics of our munched on greens.
Fun fact 1: those insect-eaten holes in kale leaves (or any other leafy green) are actually better for you then their un-assaulted counterparts!!
Okay, so we all know that I’m a plant phytochemical nerd. I believe that one of the keys to health is consuming lots of them (which means eating lots of veggies, but also seeking out those veggies that have a higher density of phytochemicals, like wild plants and like local organic produce grown in high quality soil). So, when one of my local farmers mentioned this fun fact to me today, I just had to look it up!
And it’s true! Plants are smarter than we think!
Leaves normally release small quantities of a class of phytochemical called “plant volatiles”. While the name sounds a little intimidating, plant volatiles are known to have very strong anti-cancer and antioxidant properties–meaning, it’s improves health to eat them (this is one of the classes of compounds in plants credited with the ubiquitous health benefits of high-veggie diets).
When a leaf is damaged by herbivorous insects
(yes, insects can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores too!),
many more plant volatiles are released. Exactly which plant volatiles are produced varies both by the plant species and by the species of that’s eating it.
Why does the plant do this? These volatiles attract both parasitic and predatory insects that are natural enemies of the herbivore insects eating the plant–meaning, it’s the plant’s way of recruiting help defending itself. The plant attracts other insects that like to eat the insects that are eating it. Isn’t that amazing?! These plant volatiles can even signal to neighbouring plants to increase their defence responses too!
So, woo-hoo to plants for having such a sophisticated defence strategy. But, even better for us? This means that we’re getting more antioxidant goodness when we eat those organically-grown leafy greens that have some insect holes in them–you know, the same ones no one else wants to buy so your farmer sells them to you on the cheap?!?! It also means we don’t need to get quite so worked up about aphids eating up our vegetable gardens–they’re doing us a favour! This is also why strategies like crushing garlic 10 minutes before you add it to whatever you’re cooking increases the antioxidant properties.
Food for Thought,
70/30 Summer PaleoBear
Thursday Lesson Plan:
Warm Up: Coach Choice
A) 1×30 Full Bridges
Scaling Options:
1 Table Rocks
2 Table Inside Out
3 Elbow Bridge
4 Assisted Bridge
5 Full Bridge
B) 1×20 Floor Press Drill
Strength/Skill:
5RM Bench Press
Regress with Floor Press for those unable to maintain shoulder position.
Conditioning:
16 Minute OTM:
Elite:
1st. 3 Muscle Ups
2nd. 5 Handstand Push Ups
3rd. 10 Alternating Pistols
4th. 10 Straddle Ups
Intermediate:
1st. 3 Strict Pull Ups
2nd. 5 Handstand Negatives
3rd. 10 Skater Squats
4th. 10 V Ups
Novice:
1st. 3 Elevated Ring Rows
2nd. 5 Push Ups
3rd. 10 Bulgarian Split Squats
4th. 10 Tuck Ups
Yesterday's results are posted. Bottom of yesterday's comments.
Some close calls...