Flower Power: What Can Edible Flowers Do for Your Health?

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Flowers have a long history of use in traditional medicine and were often used against illnesses. Without recordings of the botanicals used in traditional medicine by physicians and herbalists, modern medicine would not have evolved as we know it today

• Many of the health benefits ascribed to eating flowers come from their vitamin and mineral content as well as antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory properties

• Take care to only eat flowers you can positively identify since some can trigger digestive problems and others are poisonous and even deadly; never eat flowers you purchase from a florist or garden center or harvested from the side of the road and they likely were sprayed with pesticides not labeled for food

• Several flowers with health benefits include violets, roses, moringa flowers, jasmine, lavender and pansies; while sold as vegetables, broccoli, artichoke and cauliflower are flowering plants

You may appreciate the display of vibrant colors and blossoms during the spring and summer months. But did you know some of those same flowers can benefit your health and wellness? Many of the health benefits ascribed to eating flowers come from their vitamin and mineral content as well as antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory properties.1

Flowers have a long history of use in traditional medicine. Medicinal plants were often used against illnesses and contemporary science uses plants in a range of drugs. In fact, without recordings of the botanicals used in traditional medicine by physicians and herbalists, modern medicine would not have evolved as we know it today.

A 2017 phytotherapy study2 in a province in Ecuador interviewed 84 ancestral healers and asked about the species used in their traditional medicine. The researchers found the native Ecuadorians had a vast variety of medicinal practices and traditions and that chamomile had the highest prevalence of the species in the study.

It is important to take care before eating any wild plant. According to a report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,3 there are 391,000 species of vascular plants and 369,000 of those produce flowers. Additionally, it's estimated 2,000 new species are discovered or described every year. Of these nearly 400,000 plants, 31,000 have at least one documented use.

Flower-Power: Food Uses and Health Benefits

After years of use in traditional medicine, there's an increasing appreciation of the health benefits found in edible flowers. A 2020 study4 found the leaves of the psidium guajava plant were high in protein. A 2022 study5 published in Nutrients found edible flowers of the Asteraceae family had high levels of dietary fiber and the data showed edible flowers had as much as some of the best known high fiber foods.

The researchers suggested that 1 tablespoon of freeze-dried calendula petals had 7.44 grams of fiber, and consuming 3 tablespoons could meet the RDA of 25 grams per day. This list is just a sample of the types of flowers that are tasty and offer health benefits.

While they are sold as vegetables, broccoli, artichokes and cauliflower are really flowers. Broccoli and cauliflower florets are tightly grouped buds. If you leave them in the garden, those buds open into multiple tiny flowers that have a mild spicy flavor and make a surprisingly tasty addition to salads.

Warning: Not All Flowers Are Edible

It may seem from this list that most flowers are edible but as delicious and nutritious as some are, others can be dangerous. Your safest bet is to grow your own flowers for eating or purchase them at a market. If you choose to go foraging, consult with a local herbalist since some flowers have wild look-a-likes that can be poisonous.

You should also not assume that all landscape flowers are edible. And even edible flowers should be eaten in moderation. Additionally, you should only eat flowers that have not been sprayed with any type of pesticide or herbicide. Because the petals are delicate, the chemicals will not wash off. Steer clear of consuming the following flowers.

•  If ingested, it can cause vomiting and stomach cramps.

•  The botanical name for this poisonous plant is Aconitum, which is also known as aconite, wolf’s bane, devil’s helmet and queen of poisons. This highly toxic plant was believed to be behind a mass poisoning in an Ontario restaurant in September 2022.25 Each part of the plant contains toxins, the deadliest of which is aconite.

•  From North America, this snowy white, delicate plant called white snakeroot contains tremetol, which is so toxic that all it takes to make you very ill is to drink the milk from a cow that ate the plant.26

•  A favorite in old-fashioned gardens, with a beautiful profusion of bell-like flowers on tall, slender stalks, foxglove causes a wide range of symptoms, such as tremors, an irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure.27 The entire plant — roots, flowers and even seeds — is poisonous.

•  Originally from England, this lovely and familiar low-growing flower contains a toxic chemical called colchicine, which causes a burning sensation in your mouth and throat, diarrhea and, in worst-case scenarios, heart attack, kidney failure and even death. The plant can be mistaken for wild garlic.28

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Dos and Don’ts to Incorporate Flowers in Your Diet

Flowers add panache and elegance to any meal. Here are a few key tips to keep in mind when flowers are on the menu.