broccoli leaves

Britain’s current trends of juicing and clean eating have led to soaring sales of kale, spinach and other leafy greens, but these vegetables could soon be facing a new rival.

Usually left to rot and ploughed back into the earth, broccoli leaves are now being marketed as a superfood and are currently being trialled in Asda.

Asda is the first UK supermarket to stock the product and is currently trialling Sliced Broccoli Leaves at £1 for 200g. A full nationwide rollout is expected on Monday 8 June.

Broccoli leaves are high in vitamins A, C and K and are also a source of calcium and potassium. Although the leaves are the healthiest part of the plant, only the broccoli heads are currently harvested, meaning 70% of the plant is wasted.

Charlie Mills, fresh produce manager at Asda, said: “We’re committed to tackling food waste at Asda and are constantly looking at our produce across the board to see where else we can make a difference.

“When we discovered the delicious taste of broccoli leaf, coupled with its outstanding health benefits, we knew it was a clear winner to hit shelves.”

Californian veg supplier Foxy Produce has been selling the product under the BroccoLeaf brand in the US since 2014. The company suggests it is used in juicing, cooking, soups and salads.

The brand’s website states: “The BroccoLeaf promotes consumption of the whole vegetable and reduces food waste while creating a new vegetable category.”