Ginger leaves contain 2–3 times more flavonoids than roots; 5 crops to harvest from the garden in October

October is the season when the first frost falls, a time when garden crops stop growing or their leaves turn yellow due to the frost, leading many to give up on harvesting. According to a Teotbat Yeonguso video, many people only harvest the root crops from the ground and leave the remaining leaves and stems abandoned, but the leaves of crops remaining during this period contain much more concentrated nutrients than the main crop itself. We introduce ways to secure nutrition by harvesting five types of crop leaves that are easily discarded before the frost sets in.

Highly concentrated nutrients in ginger leaves and sweet potato shoots

Ginger is a representative high-temperature crop, and harvesting is usually completed just before or immediately after the first frost occurs nationwide. Since the leaves turn yellow and become unharvestable after being hit by frost once or twice, work must be completed before the first frost if one wishes to harvest both the ginger root and the leaves simultaneously. Gingerol and shogaol, the core components of ginger, are abundant not only in the roots but also in the leaves and stems. In particular, flavonoids, a representative antioxidant component, are concentrated about 2 to 3 times more in the green leaves that directly receive sunlight than in the roots. The video explains that by utilizing this, one can wash the leaves clean, dry them, and boil them thoroughly with jujubes to make a restorative tea that aids blood circulation during the winter.

While sweet potatoes are also often harvested only for the roots in the ground, it is very beneficial to pick the stems, leaves, and the tips (shoots) of the sweet potato to eat as seasoned vegetables. However, when harvesting sweet potato shoots, they should be picked just before the sweet potatoes are dug up. This is because if the tips are harvested too early, it acts as "pinching," which can prevent the stems from growing further and cause problems with photosynthesis. Sweet potato shoots contain lutein, which protects eye health, in concentrations as rich as those found in spinach. Additionally, the beta-carotene content is more than 30 times higher than in the sweet potato root, helping to eliminate active oxygen, prevent the accumulation of waste in blood vessels, and maintain immunity.

Calcium and iron content in chili pepper leaves and pumpkin leaves

In October, when the chili pepper harvest is winding down, many people tend to pull out or leave abandoned the plants that have suffered from pests and diseases. However, since chili peppers are tropical crops, both the leaves and small peppers die when hit by frost, making October the last opportunity to harvest chili pepper leaves. The leaves of chili peppers contain about 10 to 15 times more calcium and magnesium than the main fruit, making them advantageous for maintaining bone health. Furthermore, the AGI component, which prevents carbohydrate absorption, is also overwhelmingly more abundant in the leaves than in the fruit, which can help suppress post-meal blood sugar spikes.

Pumpkin leaves are also a crop that can be steadily harvested until the frost falls. As autumn deepens, more leaves and stems are produced, but since the leaves turn from green to yellow and die when hit by frost, harvesting before the frost is important. The calcium content of pumpkin leaves is about 10 times higher than that of the pumpkin fruit, and the iron content is also about 7 times more abundant than the fruit. Since iron helps clear the blood, it serves as a useful natural iron source for those suffering from dizziness or anemia, or those experiencing a lack of memory.

Luteolin and Vitamin A in autumn perilla leaves

October is the season for harvesting perilla seeds for grain, but if one has sown "leaf-perilla specific" seeds intended for leaf collection, perilla leaves can be continuously harvested until the frost falls. Unlike summer perilla leaves, autumn perilla leaves contain abundant luteolin, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. They are also rich in Vitamin A, making them useful for preventing presbyopia or cataracts. When cultivating leaf-perilla, it is recommended to steadily harvest the leaves to secure nutrition before they turn yellow and become impossible to harvest.