9 Edible Flowers With Potential Health Benefits

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Flowers are used in many different cuisines and can be found in menus around the world.

Not all flowers are safe to eat, but those that are, can convey the unique taste and color of many dishes, including salads, sauces, drinks and appetizers. Some of them may even offer health benefits.

Here 11 edible flowers with health benefits:

1. Hibiscus

Hibiscus has large beautiful flowers. It usually grows in tropical and subtropical climates around the world. There are hundreds of species of hibiscus, but the most popular food variety is known as roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa.

Hibiscus flowers can be 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter and have a wide range of colors - including red, white, yellow and various shades of pink.

Although sometimes grown for strictly decorative purposes, hibiscus is also well known for culinary and medical applications. You can eat the flower straight from the plant, but it is usually used for tea, jam or salads.

Many crops drink hibiscus tea because of its healing properties. Some studies show that hibiscus can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, although more research is needed to better understand how hibiscus can maintain heart health.

The tea is bright red and has a somewhat sour taste. It can be served hot, but it is especially refreshing with ice on a hot summer day.

2. Dandelion

Dandelions are best known as stubborn garden weeds. However, they are excellent edible flowers with many health benefits.

Dandelions have small flowers - only 1-1.5 inches (2-4 cm) in diameter - with very small, bright yellow petals. They contain various plant compounds that are known to have powerful antioxidant properties.

Interestingly, flowers are not the only part of the dandelion that can be eaten. In fact, any part of the so-called weed can be used - including its roots, stems and leaves.

There are endless possibilities for eating dandelion. The flowers can be eaten raw. They can be baked, fried or used to make jelly and wine.

The roots are often dried to make tea, while greens can be eaten raw, such as salad or sandwich. They can also be prepared on dishes, side dishes.

3. Lavender

It's lavender flower herb, originally grown in parts of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Violet flowers are very small but abundant.

Lavender is probably best known for its distinctive aroma, which is recognized for its soothing effects.

The combination of color and aroma make lavender a particularly desirable addition to a variety of foods, including baked goods, syrups, liqueurs, herbal teas, dry spices and herbal blends.

Its taste goes well with both sweet and savory ingredients, including citrus fruits, rosemary, sage, thyme and chocolate.

When cooking with lavender, it is best to start with a small amount and increase slowly until you achieve the desired flavor, as it can quickly become unbearable.

4. Honeysuckle

Almost 200 species of honeysuckle exist, but the most common are Japanese and woody varieties. Aromatic flowers, usually light yellow or white, contain nectar that can be eaten straight from the flower.

Honeysuckle has been vital to the practices of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.

The flowers and their extracts are taken or applied to the skin to treat various inflammatory conditions.

In the culinary world honeysuckle is most often used to make tea or aromatic syrup.

You can use the syrup to sweeten your tea, lemonade, yogurt or as a sugar substitute in quick bread recipes.

While honeysuckle color and its nectar are completely safe to eat, keep in mind that the fruits of some varieties can be toxic if ingested in large quantities.

5. Porec

Borage is an herb that produces delicate, star-shaped flowers. The colors are usually blue, but can also be white or pink.

In herbal medicine, borage is used to treat mild ailments such as sore throat or cough. However, research supporting its efficacy as a medical therapy is scarce. The flowers are often described with a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of cucumber and honey.

The flowers can be eaten fresh in a salad or as a side dish for desserts and cocktails - or they can be prepared and added to soups, sauces or stuffed pasta. Borage can also be served as a stand-alone vegetable dish.

6. Fenugreek

Purslane produces small yellow flowers and thick, fleshy leaves - both of which are edible and can be eaten boiled or raw.

Historically, purslane is not considered more valuable than garden grass. However, this small plant has recently increased in popularity due to its rich nutritional content.

It is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but the biggest reason for its great popularity is the content of omega-3 fats. In fact, purslane provides more omega-3s than almost any other vegetable.

The flowers and leaves can be served raw in salads and sandwiches. They can also be steamed with other vegetables or added to your favorite soups. You may even consider trying this edible flower fried.

7. Rose

There are over 150 types of roses available in almost every size and color. The best part is that they are edible.

A good rule of thumb for choosing a fragrant rose is that if it smells nice, it will probably taste good. However, only the petals are eaten because the leaves and stems are not very pleasant.

Pink petals have a very fragrant, colorful and slightly sweet taste. They can be eaten raw, mixed with various fruits or green salads.

Fresh rose petals can also be added to liquids to create rose-rich drinks, jams and jellies. The cut rose petals, added to the sugar or butter, give a unique taste and aroma to the otherwise ordinary ingredients.

Like many other edible flowers, roses can offer health benefits. Some studies show that some compounds in roses may play a role in reducing anxiety and relaxation.

8. Garden violet

Garden violets have small flowers, about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) in diameter. They come in many colors, but shades of purple, blue and yellow are the most common. They have five overlapping petals with a dark area in the center that looks like ink.

They usually have a light, fresh and slightly floral aroma - although there are some variations in taste depending on the species.

As they can have many color variations, they are a great decorative addition to desserts such as cakes and cookies.

9. Camomile

It's chamomile floral herbused in the kitchen and traditional medicine for centuries.

Chamomile is often consumed to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

The flowers are very similar to daisies, although much smaller. They give a slightly sweet, earthy taste to the food with which they are prepared.

Most recipes require soaking the flowers in a liquid to extract the aromas and bioactive compounds. The leaves and flowers are usually dried, but can also be used fresh. Although most commonly used for tea, the flowers can be made into syrups or other infusions.

Although you are used to seeing flowers only as a decoration, you can add many of them to your table.

In addition, many edible flowers are nutritious and contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can maintain your health.

You can serve them raw, prepare them with vegetables, use them as a snack or sprinkle them on desserts.

Regardless of your culinary skills, it's easy to add edible flowers for your next meal.