Maybe I am stretching here but I find that we too do this to ourselves. We constantly want to get rid of things. Take dandelions for instance it has been longed thought of as a weed but the health benefits of dandelions are amazing: acne treatment, bone disorders, eczema, jaundice and urinary disorders just to name a few. Who decided dandelions were a weed anyway? Lawn care companies? Weed Killer companies? Supermarkets? It needs to be reconsidered perhaps the real "weed" are those damn companies filling our heads with nonsense.
How does this relate to caring for ourselves? We have been conditioned to believe that any excess weight is unattractive, any wrinkle needs to be taken care of, any pimple needs to disappear, any stretch marks need to be hidden because heaven forbid you wear a two piece after you have given birth. THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL MARKS WOMEN. YOU PASSED LIFE THROUGH YOUR BODY. OWN IT. EMBRACE IT AND LOVE IT. Wrinkles too, sorry Mary Kay but wrinkles are memories of a life lived of hardships and smiles, the fun times and the sad times All the times. It's time to stop drinking the kool-aid. Respect our bodies and respect our food.
EDIBLE BUT YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN
Seeds of apples, oranges, tomatoes, whatever. Papaya seeds are spicy. I haven't indulged in any "pits" like avocados or mangoes but you can. Brazilians eat the seeds of many of their fruits and veggies. That's actually where I learned about eating the whole fruit or veggie
Skins of everything are useful either to be eaten, medicinally or thrown into a compost pile. Kiwi skin is yummy. Orange skin can be squeezed for the oil and used as a disinfectant. Banana Peels can be eaten raw or boiled but rub it on your skin first to smooth out wrinkles, fight psoriasis, and improve skin tone! Ha! Everything we throw away can help with all the "problems" society tells us we have.
ANOTHER FOOD TIP
If you don't have a compost you can save the trimmings of your veggies for homemade soup stocks. I have a ziploc bag in the freezer for veggie "waste" this includes skins of garlic and onions because they are packed with super good nutrients.
Do you do anything clever with your food? Or eat any parts that are not typical? I would love to hear about it.