Foraged spring shoots — and they must be cooked thoroughly.
Fiddleheads are the coiled young fronds of certain ferns, foraged in spring. They must be cooked thoroughly — raw or undercooked fiddleheads have caused documented outbreaks of food poisoning.
Pod vegetables sit between vegetables and pulses. Picked young they
behave like vegetables — low calorie, high water, high vitamin C. Left to mature and dry
they become pulses, with several times the protein and fibre.
Per 100g raw.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Cook briefly and hot. Pod vegetables lose colour, texture and vitamin
C fast.
Frozen peas are excellent. They are frozen within hours of
picking, and often carry more vitamin C than fresh peas that spent a week in
transit.
Blanch and shock if you want them bright green — boiling
water, then straight into ice water.
String them if needed —
older pods develop a tough fibre along the seam.
Young pods are mostly water and cell wall, which is why they are crisp and low in
calories. As the seed inside matures, the plant packs in protein and starch — which is
the difference between a green pea and a dried split pea.
The vitamin C is the most
heat-sensitive thing in them. Prolonged boiling can destroy the majority of it, which is a
real argument for steaming or brief high-heat cooking.
Fiddleheads must be cooked thoroughly. Boil for at least 10 minutes
or steam for 12 — raw and lightly cooked fiddleheads have caused documented food poisoning
outbreaks. Discard the cooking water.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.