8 lesser known plants and flowers you didn’t know you could eat

Fruits and vegetables that we see on the grocery shelves in the market are not the only ones that humans can consume.

There are many more weeds and wild plants that are fit for human consumption and are very delicious too.

Here are some plants that you can eat:

Hibiscus is that fascinating red or pink colored plant that you must have seen growing around you in summer season. It is lately been used in abundance because of its flavour and vitamin C content ,in cocktails and teas. This beautiful looking plant if consumed as tea can help in heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well.

It is a herb that is rich in vitamin A and C , used when it hasn’t agedmuch because it turns bitter as it grows in age. The young shoots of this plant are mixed in green salads. The shoots can also be used as an alternative of asparagus. Talking about the stem, they can be eaten raw and hold the same nutritive value as the shoot.

Almost everyone must have seen dandelions around them as just a bunch of pretty flowers but only a few people know that they are fit to be consumed too.The entire plant including the petals,stem and roots are a very good source of vitamin A,C,K and it is also rich in magnesium, iron and potassium.The most famous ways in which dandelion is used is in the form of teas, soups and salads.This vitamin rich plant if consumed in the form of tea once a day can help you fight nausea and headaches.

The petals of this bright colored plant are used as an alternative for coffee and brewers use its roots to flavor beers. The only bitter part of the plant are the leaves which can still be eaten in salads or can be cooked along with meat.

This orange flower is not just pretty to look at but can also be used in a number of ways that you probably were unaware of. This flower can be used to make tea, tincture or oil. The petals of the calendula can be eaten without being cooked. The edible petals can be put into salads with roasted vegetables or cooked meat. Its medicinal benefits have showed improvement in sore throat and menstrual cramps as well.

Bull thistle as a plant can be used in very different ways for human consumption. It tastes the best when the root is mixed with other vegetables. The flower bud of this plant can be used by either peeling out the layers or using it whole. Now comes the stem that can be boiled, sauteed and steamed and can be eaten like a salad or in any way you like.

Borage blossom is an herb that is also called starflower because of its five pointed petals that look like a star. Surprisingly, every part of this plant is consumed differently because of the difference in its texture and shape. The part with more flesh tastes like cucumber hence is used in soups, salads and pastas whereas the flower tastes sweet like honey so it is used as a sweetening agent in cocktails and mocktails. Borage sprouts have been found to successfully treat depression, increase urine flow, prevent inflammation, increase breast milk production and strengthen the immune system.

Alfalfa is an herb in the legume family and it is mainly consumed in its sprouted form. The sprouts can be put into sandwiches and salads to make them more nutritious and to give your food a crunchy texture. One thing that is supposed to be kept in mind while eating alfalfa is that it can have ill effects if taken while you’re on medication.