ALMOND LEAVES AS FOOD PACKS CAN REPLACE STYROFOAM

...Nigeria Elites please be local; in fact become bush persons in food safety 

Do you know that styrofoam can be replaced with almond leaves as food packs? Yes o! Even before the Almond tree gets to mature fruit bearing stage; if the plant is well-tended; the leaves become somewhat wide. The leaves would be thick enough to make wraps and durable like the common 'Moin-moin' leaves which are now so expensive and sometimes scarce. 

What I don't know yet is if the leaves can be used for cooking - subjected to high heat like making moin-moin from beans. But I know they are great as food packs as I have tried them as seen in the photos. 

Anyone who so desires can even try using them in cooking moin-moin  or 'agidi' -'eko'  from 'ogi' -pap before me - not sure I want to cook moin-moin until I get beans confirmed not to have been grown or preserved with chemicals. 

The advantage of using edible leaves as food packs or in cooking includes environmental protection. If not before; we know at least  from recent debates when Lagos state announced ban of styrofoam that styrofoam is not fully degradable so they clog drainage channels. 

Such also constitute health menace  as animals consumed by humans such as fish and shrimps ingest these inorganic materials that find ways into their habitats. 

But leaves are bio-degradable and even enrich the soil and water bodies if they get deposited there. 

More importantly; when warm or hot food is put in wrapped leaves; unlike plastic materials that release very toxic elements when heated; hot food is safe inside edible leaves. 

I did write sometimes ago that Almond leaves like many other fruit tree leaves are edible - the leaves can be boiled as tea or taken as soft drink - I am researching  other food possibilities.

But you may be concerned that if people start plucking almond leaves to use as wraps; it wont allow the tree  to bear fruits.

People shouldn't just start cutting almond leaves arbitrarily o - no farmer or gardener will take kindly to that. But those who understand know that plants usually need pruning to grow and produce maximally. 

The logic is simple - when a tree has so very much leaves; lots of the nutrients that  could have been used in fruit formation would be used up by the excessive number of leaves. So to balance out - having just enough leaves to produce fruits.; you need to wisely cut off or prune some branches and leaves.

So if you have access to Almond tree(s); find out when and how to pluck the leaves for food wraps or other uses.

My almond tree is just producing so many leaves as though it is a leafy tree 🌲 so I can be cutting off some of the leaves to allow fruit formation.

Remember such a tree must be well-tended - your efforts  will be worth it as you will get multiple benefits. 

Sophisticated Nigerians in particular that can afford very expensive food packs should take note of this: - you can be sophisticated in your clothing housing and such like but when it comes to anything that goes inside your body; dip sophistication for health safety - be local; in fact; be a bush person when it comes to your food safety.  

#almondleavesaswraps

#foodsafety

#replacingstyrofoam

#replacingplasticpacks