Prepare a Delightful Nutritious Diet Chart with Edible Flowers This Winter

edible1Flowers have been a part of the diet of humans for a long time, however, it has yet to be established who started eating them for the first time. Herbs provide several health benefits when consumed as a food or a snack, where some edible flowers are both tasty as well as beautiful. The petals of these plants comprise of numerous vital nutrients alongside a distinguished and colorful diet. Thus, you add these gorgeous edible flowers to your diet during the winter season to restore your health. However, you do not need to save them for the spring season, but can create a lovely garden within your home in a sunlit spot while enjoying several benefits of edible flowers in all the seasons.

 

Some Useful Flowers

There are many types of flowers that not only provide health benefits, but provide a support to emotional well-being as well. Some of the flowers that can be used as a part of a healthy diet are listed below:

  • Valerian flowers are a useful addition for restoration of insomnia and anxiety along with tension headaches as well as migraines.
  • Rose water supports the functionality of the digestive system and liver alongside cooling anger. Due to the high content of antioxidants, roses help in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These flowers are available in different colors with each having its own different bioactive pigments.
  • Chamomile herbs calm stress and add a boost to the immunity of the body. Chrysanthemums are well-known as a tonic for the treatment of fevers and cold.
  • Begonias help in the elimination of toxins and support the health of the liver.
  • Borage comes with a slight cucumber taste and are used in salads or in tea and are found to be useful for fighting cough and cold and balance hormones of the body.
  • Lavender soothes the nervous system while violets are known as the suppliers of Rutin, a component known to build up a strong capillary structure.
  • Calendula petals, lemon gem marigold and nasturtiums are a bright addition to the salads with a peppery and earthy flavor. The yellow pigment comprises of a great amount of Lutein, known to protect vision while the orange one contains Lycopene, a vital anti-cancer compound.

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How to Use Edible Flowers?

Roses and violets were used by ancient Romans, daylilies by the Chinese while Asian Indians have long been known for consuming rose petals. An important factor for the use of edible flowers is their source, where self-grown ones are the safest ones. On the contrary, those available from florists might contain unhealthy additives added to make them grow quicker and appear better. The best use of flowers can be made when they are picked and prepared hours before eating while only petals are used in most of the cases. Flowers can also be stored in water for a few hours after washing them in a solution of salt water.

Edible flowers are known to add a colorful inspiration to numerous culinary creations, where you can freeze sweet flowers into ice cubes or combine them with tea.