Eating Flowers

A number of animals eat flowers. What do they know that we don’t?

Certain flowers have been shown to contain important nutrients. Others are poisonous. If you have varicose veins or hemorrhoids, or any kind of circulatory problem, pay close attention…

One of the least known nutritious flowers is the wild pansy. It’s one of the best sources of rutin, a bioflavonoid studied for its benefits to the cardiovascular system. Rutin has been tested for its effects in hemorrhoids, varicose veins, inflammatory bowel problems, inflammation and its ability to keep blood platelets from sticking together. It’s a remarkable flower with antioxidant capacity, which is why it’s in FlavoC.

The important phytochemicals of wild pansy are Violutoside, Rutin, Violanthin, Scoparin, Orientin, Violaxnathin, Triterpene Saponins, Methyl-Salicylic Acid, Flavonoids, Tannins, Coumarin. Wild pansy has been used to treat skin diseases, eczema, asthma and epilepsy and asthma. It was also believed that the flowers wild pansy were good for the heart, hence its popular name of heartsease. Today, wild pansy is used to treat eczema, acne, pruritus and impetigo. The triterpenes, salicylates and flavonoids are responsible for the anti-inflammatory action of wild pansy. (3)

The people at North Carolina State University’s Horticulture department tell us, “Flowers have traditionally been used in many types of cooking: European, Asian, East Indian, Victorian English, and Middle Eastern. Early American settlers also used flowers as food. Today, there is a renewed interest in edible flowers for their taste, color, and fragrance. Edible flowers can be used fresh as a garnish or as an integral part of a dish, such as a salad. Squash flowers can be fried in light batter or cornmeal. Some flowers can be stuffed or used in stir-fry dishes. Edible flowers can be candied; frozen in ice cubes and added to beverages; made into jellies and jams; used to make teas or wines; minced and added to cheese spreads, herbal butters, pancakes, crepes, and waffles. Many flowers can be used to make vinegars for cooking, marinades, or dressings for salad. Herbal flowers normally have the same flavor as their leaves, with the exceptions of chamomile and lavender blossoms, where the flavor is usually more subtle.”

Additional flowers that have been reported to be edible include: Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia; Cattails, Typha spp.; Clary sage, Salvia sclarea; Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca; Coriander, Coriander sarivum; Fuchsia, Fushia x hybrida; Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides; Garlic, Allium sativum; Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum; Gladiolus, Gladiolus hortulanus; Hyssop, Hyssopus officalis; Leek, Allium porrum; Lemon, Citrus limon; Marjoram, Origanum vulgare; Marsh mallow, Althaea officinalis; Mustard, Brassica spp.; Nodding onion, Allium cernuum; Peony, Paeonia lactiflora; Orange, Citrus sinensis; Oregano, Origanum vulgar; Pineapple guava, Acca sellowiana; Plum, Prunus spp.; Radish, Raphanus sativus; Redbud, Cercis canadensis; Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus; Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius; Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginia; Strawberry, Fragaria ananassa; Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes; Water lily, Nymphaea odorata; Winter savory, Satureja montana; Yucca, Yucca spp.(1)

Sources:

1. Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, “Edible Flowers,” 2008
2. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jul 14;52(14):4414-8, Mechanisms involved in the antiplatelet activity of rutin, a glycoside of the flavonol quercetin, in human platelets, Sheu JR, Hsiao G, Chou PH, Shen MY, Chou DS, Graduate Institutes of Medical Sciences and Pharmacology, Taipei Medical University; pubmed.gov
3. phytochemicals.info