Floral chance
FLOWERS GREAT FOR YOUR HEALTH
BOFFINS reckon we should be eating a whopping 30 different plants a week to boost our health, as we reported yesterday. The World Cancer Research Fund says scoffing that number can improve gut health. Here NADINE LINGE reveals 10 plants you probably never knew you could eat – just make sure they are free from pesticides and grow in animal-free areas.
DANDELIONS: Next time you’re hungover, grab a handful as they’ve been found to help the liver remove toxins. The roots can be dry-roasted and ground to make a tasty alternative to coffee. Leaves have more vitamin A than carrots and more calcium than spinach.
DAISIES: The buds and petals can be eaten and have medicinal benefits. They can be added to salads, soups and sandwiches and made into a tea to be used as a remedy for colds and chest infections.
ROSES: Petals can be used to flavour drinks, sugar and even icing for summer cakes. Rose hips, the fruit which appears after the flower fades, are packed with vitamin C, with one having as much as eight oranges.
LAVENDER: The leaves, petals and flowering tips can be used raw in salad. Only add a little to start as it can easily become overpowering. Sprigs work well with roast pork, lamb and chicken.
STINGING NETTLES: Don’t try to eat these weeds raw as they have hairs on them which release toxins into your skin. But they are safe to scoff if you cook or steam them. Nettles can be made into tea or soup and support kidney function – making them handy for a detox.
SUNFLOWERS: This entire plant is edible and can be used to make sunflower tea or put in a salad or stir fry, while the seeds can be roasted. Blooms have antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties, while the seeds are packed with fibre.
PANSIES: Eaten raw, these flowers have a fresh, lettucelike flavour.
CHICKWEED: The entire plant is edible and contains six times more vitamin C and 12 times more calcium than spinach. Add to salads/sarnies.
HAIRY BITTERCRESS: Tiny and compact, this herb is a member of the same family as cabbage and broccoli. The leaves have a sharp, peppery flavour similar to watercress and it contains high quantities of vitamin C, as well as antioxidants, calcium and magnesium. Blend the roots with vinegar to make a sauce similar to horseradish.
NASTURTIUM: These brightlycoloured, peppery flowers are good in salads and pasta dishes. The whole flower, leaves and buds can be used.