The awesome thing about growing your own edibles is that you open yourself up to a whole new world of incredible plants that you’re certain you never saw on the shelf of woolies!

Those ‘Superfoods’ you thought you had a handle on are just the tip of the iceberg – & speaking of iceberg – old mate lettuce is becoming more & more uninteresting by the mouthful!

So today – & in fact – for the life of our brand-spanking-new segment, we want to give you a taste (get it?) of the edible world & introduce you to some of the more uncommon, yet super-powerful-body-loving-nutrient-packed plants that you can start growing!

We are SUPER excitied to welcome you to our latest segment…

IncrEdible Spotlights

Packed full with their amazing health benefits, how it works in your body + how & when to grow them – we know you will love it!

Alright, we can barely hold in our excitement anymore!

Ready for our very first Incredible Edible Spotlight?

Da da da da….

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MUSTARD GREENS!

Mustard Greens are one of our FAVOURITE leafy greens to grow, they taste GREAT & they are packed to the brim with nutrition!

The health benefits of this peppery little cruciferous are immense – from skin issues, to hair problems, to bone density, to helping to cleanse your body of unwanted heavy metals – mustard greens are a must – & the punch line is many people have never even heard of them!

As I mentioned before, mustard green are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, so they’re cousins of other awesome edibles like kale, broccoli & cauliflower.

There are many different types of mustard green, each varying in shape & colour.

Some (like the name suggests) are green… while others have tinges of red or even purple (known as Osaka Purple Leaved – the type we grow!) 

They make a great addition to salads, juices, smoothies, soups, nori rolls… in fact – just think “would kale work in this dish?” –  If the answer is yes then you’re good to go!

Mustard Greens are packed to the brim with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants & phytonutrients & the list of benefits it provides & condition it can protect you from in truly mind blowing! (Trust me, if you aren’t already eaten this stuff by the bowlful – you will be soon!)

Reasons why we LOVE Mustard Greens: 

• They’re great for clear & firm skin!
  Mustard greens are particulary high in Vitamin A & C which are both super important for healthy skin – Vitamin A assists with wound healing +  fighting acne while Vitamin C is needed to produce collagen which your body uses to produce new healthy skin cells.

• They’re awesome for Bone Density
  They also contain an awesome amount of Vitamin which is a MUST HAVE for maintaining a strong, healthy bone structure (move over calcium!)
  In fact, even if you’re getting the adequate levels of calcium… without sufficient levels of vitamin K your body won’t be able to absorb it properly!

• They help clear your body of heavy metals
  You come into contact with things everyday that cause heavy metals to accumulate inside your body, even things like cookware, food containers & even certain foods!
  Overtime these substances can be seriously damaging to your health. Mustard greens can actually help your body to clear out the harmful heavy metals from deep inside your body!

• They also feed your gut microbes!
  Keeping your gut microbes healthy & happy is vital for thriving health… poor gut health can lead to a whole host of issues… at the very least you will struggle to absorb nutrients from the food you are eating, putting you at risk of even more health issues!
  One thing your gut microbes (gut flora) thrive on is fibre, so having a good amount of dietary fibre in your diet is super important – Now guess what a great source of fibre is…yep! Mustard Greens!

• And they also contain cancer fighting compounds
  Just like it’s big cuzzy Kale, mustard greens contain a compound called Glucosinolates (studies have shown Mustard Greens have very high levels of it) which are converted into Isothiocyanates in the body. Isothiocyanates have anti cancer properties & can be helpful in the prevention of cancer.

How To Grow Mustard Greens  

• • When to grow:
    All in all mustard greens are pretty relaxed about what month they’re grown in – however they DON’T like the super-hot weather or a mighty-cold frost.
    Technically they are a cooler crop… but providing you have good quality, nutritious soil – you shouldn’t have any trouble growing them in most parts of the year if you’re in a temperate zone.
    When grown in the cooler months their taste will be slightly sweeter!
  • Harvest Time:
    Mustard Greens are quick growers & you can expect to start harvesting in 6-8 weeks – Harvest your mustard greens by snapping of the outer (older) leaves first.
    
    
  • Plant with:
    Plant Mustard Greens alongside Pansies, beets, celery, cucumber & marigolds to see a real BOOM
    
    
  • Don’t plant with:
    Strawberries, tomatoes, capsicums or eggplants – they don’t get along!!

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And on that note – I’m off to harvest some mustard greens 😉

Any Q’s – hit me up in the comments below!

Anth