Edible flowers have played a role in culinary arts for a long time, enhancing the beauty, flavor, and nutritional value of food. At BASKETEER flower shop, we carefully select quality edible flowers from pesticide-free sources to provide a special experience for consumers. In this article, we introduce types of edible flowers, their benefits, and how to use them safely.
Table of Contents
- What Are Edible Flowers?
- What Types of Edible Flowers Are There?
- How to Apply Edible Flowers
- How to Select and Consume Edible Flowers Safely
- Benefits and Properties of Edible Flowers
- Conclusion
What Are Edible Flowers?
Edible flowers are pesticide-free cultivated flowers or naturally grown flowers that are non-toxic and can be used in cooking without harmful effects on the body. Each edible flower has different colors, scents, and flavors – some are sweet, some are sour, some are spicy, some are astringent, depending on the species.
Thai food culture has used flowers in cooking for a long time, such as sour soup with sesbania flowers, mixed vegetable soup with white cheesewood flowers, and spicy salad with sesbania grandiflora flowers. Western food culture also uses flowers to decorate dishes.
What Types of Edible Flowers Are There?
From our research, there are more than 50 types of edible flowers that can be safely used in cooking, including both local and imported flowers. Each type has different properties and flavors.
Types of Edible Flowers Found in Thailand
There are many varieties of local edible flowers in Thailand, including:
- Butterfly Pea Flowers have a bluish-purple color, used to extract butterfly pea juice for coloring both savory and sweet dishes, making beverages, or brewing as tea. They help fight free radicals and boost immunity.
- Rose Flowers have an astringent taste. When used in cooking, the astringent taste needs to be masked with lemon or salt. They can be battered and fried, added to omelets, used in salads, or made into desserts. They help relieve cold symptoms, treat gastritis, and reduce skin inflammation.
- Sesbania Grandiflora Flowers are local flowers with a slightly sweet taste. They can be blanched and dipped, added to chili paste, sour soup, or omelets. They are rich in calcium and phosphorus, which help nourish bones and brain, and contain iron that nourishes blood.
- White Cheesewood Flowers can be found along fences, help nourish blood, nourish the liver, and relieve phlegm. They can be used in mixed vegetable soup or battered and fried.
- Sesbania Flowers are white flowers with a mild fragrance, used in sour soup with a sweet and crisp taste that adds freshness and helps reduce fever.
Types of Imported Edible Flowers
Flowers from abroad that can be used in cooking include:
- Lavender Flowers are purple flowers with a strong fragrance, extracted for relaxing scents. The purple flowers can be used in cooking to add fragrance or made into tea.
- Chamomile Flowers help relieve stress and drinking them before bedtime helps with sleep. They have a mild fragrance similar to apple.
- Nasturtium Flowers have a strong fragrance, with both leaves and flowers being edible. They come in vibrant colors including yellow, orange, and red. The leaves have a spicy taste and are used to decorate food.
- Chrysanthemum Flowers provide refreshment, quench thirst, eliminate toxins, inhibit viruses, and absorb carcinogens. They can be brewed as tea.
Classification of Edible Flowers by Color
The color of flowers indicates different nutrients and benefits:
- White flowers such as jasmine, sesbania, and lotus have a fragrant smell, cooling properties, and help refresh the body.
- Yellow/orange flowers such as chrysanthemum and sunflower are high in vitamin A and nourish eyesight.
- Red/pink flowers such as roses and hibiscus are high in antioxidants and slow down cell degeneration.
- Purple/blue flowers such as butterfly pea and lavender contain anthocyanins, which fight free radicals and reduce inflammation.
Read more — The Meaning of Flowers | Collection of Flowers with Positive Meanings for Every Occasion
How to Apply Edible Flowers
Edible flowers can be used in savory dishes, desserts, and beverages, adding beautiful colors and making dishes more appealing. Each type has its unique flavor. Here are various ways to use them:
1. Food Decoration
With their beautiful shapes and vibrant colors, flowers are commonly used to decorate dishes. The arrangement helps enhance the beauty and value of the food. Flowers used for dish decoration include butterfly pea flowers, small roses, nasturtiums, or borages with beautiful colors.
2. Beverages and Teas
Many flowers can be made into healthy beverages or teas, such as:
- Rose tea helps with relaxation and nourishes the heart.
- Chrysanthemum tea increases refreshment and reduces body heat.
- Chamomile tea helps with sleep and reduces stress.
- Butterfly pea juice has a beautiful color and contains antioxidants.
3. Savory Dishes
Many flowers can be used in various savory dishes, including:
- Sour soup with sesbania flowers, a traditional Thai dish using sesbania flowers as the main ingredient.
- Spicy salad with Damascus rose, a beautiful dish with a slightly astringent taste. The astringency is balanced with spiciness, and fresh shrimp, minced pork, or grilled beef can be added.
- Mixed vegetable soup with white cheesewood flowers uses white cheesewood flowers as an ingredient, providing a sweet and crisp taste.
- Sesbania grandiflora flower omelet, an easy dish that adds nutritional value with sesbania grandiflora flowers.
4. Desserts and Sweets
Edible flowers can be used in many desserts, such as:
- Lavender cake with a relaxing fragrance and unique taste.
- Rose cookies with a fragrant smell and delicate taste.
- Butterfly pea jelly with beautiful colors and health benefits.
- Floral ice cream, such as rose or lavender flavored ice cream.
How to Select and Consume Edible Flowers Safely
Selecting and consuming edible flowers safely is very important because some flowers are toxic or contaminated with chemicals. The following guidelines should be followed:
Selecting Safe Edible Flowers
- Choose flowers that are known to be edible, available in markets, or self-grown, which will be safe and free from toxins.
- Avoid picking flowers along roadsides, as they may be contaminated with vehicle exhaust or chemicals from spraying.
- Be aware of which flowers are dangerous and cannot be eaten, such as oleander, yellow allamanda, frangipani, and devil’s tree, which contain cardiac glycoside toxins that stimulate heart rate and cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Preparing Edible Flowers Before Consumption
- It is important to wash the flowers thoroughly before cooking to remove dust, dirt, and chemical residues.
- Some flowers require the removal of stamens before use, such as sesbania flowers, to prevent bitterness from the male stamens.
- Flowers purchased from markets should be refrigerated without washing first to prevent bruising and rapid deterioration — How to Keep Fresh Flowers Longer
Precautions When Consuming Edible Flowers
- Consume in appropriate amounts, not excessively.
- People with pre-existing conditions such as allergies should be particularly careful, as they may be allergic to certain flowers.
- If unsure whether a flower is edible, do not risk consuming it.
- Young children and pregnant women should be especially cautious when consuming flowers.
Benefits and Properties of Edible Flowers
Edible flowers have many benefits and medicinal properties, varying according to the type of flower:
Nutritional Value of Edible Flowers
Many edible flowers are rich in vitamins and minerals essential for the body, including:
- Sesbania Grandiflora Flowers are rich in calcium and phosphorus, which nourish bones and brain, contain iron that nourishes blood, and vitamin A that fights diseases.
- Roselle Flowers help prevent cancer and kidney disease, reduce fever, contain antioxidants, and reduce wrinkles.
- Sunflower Flowers Benefits of sunflowers help reduce cholesterol levels, prevent fat blockage in blood vessels, and heart disease.
Health Benefits of Edible Flowers
Edible flowers have medicinal properties that promote health in various ways, such as:
- Digestive system: Rose flowers treat gastritis and relieve diarrhea, chrysanthemum flowers reduce body heat.
- Immune system: Many edible flowers contain antioxidants that must be consumed regularly and in sufficient amounts to strengthen immunity.
- Nervous system: Lavender and chamomile flowers help relieve stress and aid in sleep.
- Cardiovascular system: Sunflower and marigold flowers nourish the heart and reduce cholesterol.
Using Edible Flowers for Treating Illnesses
Some flowers have properties that treat various diseases, such as:
- Pride of Barbados Flowers relieve toothache.
- Butterfly Pea Flowers help relieve body aches and promote urination.
- Marigold Flowers help with digestive system problems, blood purification, and detoxification of fever.
- Ginger Flowers help relieve gas, alleviate bloating and flatulence, and reduce stomach acid.
Conclusion
Edible flowers are food ingredients that have both nutritional value and beauty. They can be used in various ways, including decorating dishes, making beverages, cooking savory and sweet dishes, and have many health benefits, nourishing the body, fighting free radicals, and relieving illnesses.
When selecting and consuming edible flowers, choose flowers known to be edible and pesticide-free, wash them thoroughly before cooking, and consume in appropriate amounts. For those interested in growing plants for both beauty and utility, plant gifts can be another option to consider.
