About Wild Edible Plants
Plants are an important resource for all major system of medicine, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Plants contain natural healing components that can be used effectively to prevent and cure illnesses. In medicine the term is extended to include any plant, any part of plant, that can be used to make a remedy. The term "Herb" embraces seaweed's, ferns, flowers, roots, bulbs, barks, seeds and leaves and includes cooking herbs, spices and many fruits and vegetables. Medicines from herb / plant are both more effective and less harmful to the patient.
It is vital that you can identify the wild edible plants that you intend to utilize. Some edible plants have deadly poisonous look-alikes. Good field guides are invaluable. The best guides clearly explain identification, collection, and preparation techniques.
Wild edible plants are very beneficial for you and your family for many reasons. First of all, there are wild edibles growing near you no matter what part of the world you live in. Chances are good, you can find a large number of species where you live and some of them are likely to be plentiful.
Secondly, many wild plants are highly nutritious and can be even more nutritious than many store bought fruits and vegetables. Though if you are going to consume wild edible plants, make sure you also consider the hazards.
There are some dangers in collecting and eating wild edibles. To begin with, think about the location you are gathering and consider the following:
- Is the area sprayed with pesticides or herbicides?
- Is the area close to a busy road or other source of pollution?
- Does your target species have any poisonous look-alikes?
Also consider that wild edible plants are often more nutritionally concentrated than store bought foods - you may not need to eat as much quantity as you would of foods from home. It is also wise to start off eating very small quantities of wild edible plants, especially those you have not tried before, in case of potential allergic reactions. Test them before you collect or eat large quantities.
Also, the hazard many people forget to consider, and it is one of the most important, is the hazard you pose to the plants themselves!
Look for places where the species you are interested in gathering is plentiful. Also look for plants that have abundant fruit, nuts or berries. This will make your job of gathering less work and also, if you are considerate, it will leave less of an impact on the land. A good guidelines is to collect one third of the plant material, leaving two thirds for plant regeneration and wildlife.
reference
Plants are an important resource for all major system of medicine, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Plants contain natural healing components that can be used effectively to prevent and cure illnesses. In medicine the term is extended to include any plant, any part of plant, that can be used to make a remedy. The term "Herb" embraces seaweed's, ferns, flowers, roots, bulbs, barks, seeds and leaves and includes cooking herbs, spices and many fruits and vegetables. Medicines from herb / plant are both more effective and less harmful to the patient.
It is vital that you can identify the wild edible plants that you intend to utilize. Some edible plants have deadly poisonous look-alikes. Good field guides are invaluable. The best guides clearly explain identification, collection, and preparation techniques.
Wild edible plants are very beneficial for you and your family for many reasons. First of all, there are wild edibles growing near you no matter what part of the world you live in. Chances are good, you can find a large number of species where you live and some of them are likely to be plentiful.
Secondly, many wild plants are highly nutritious and can be even more nutritious than many store bought fruits and vegetables. Though if you are going to consume wild edible plants, make sure you also consider the hazards.
Hazards
There are some dangers in collecting and eating wild edibles. To begin with, think about the location you are gathering and consider the following:
- Is the area sprayed with pesticides or herbicides?
- Is the area close to a busy road or other source of pollution?
- Does your target species have any poisonous look-alikes?
Also consider that wild edible plants are often more nutritionally concentrated than store bought foods - you may not need to eat as much quantity as you would of foods from home. It is also wise to start off eating very small quantities of wild edible plants, especially those you have not tried before, in case of potential allergic reactions. Test them before you collect or eat large quantities.
Also, the hazard many people forget to consider, and it is one of the most important, is the hazard you pose to the plants themselves!
Look for places where the species you are interested in gathering is plentiful. Also look for plants that have abundant fruit, nuts or berries. This will make your job of gathering less work and also, if you are considerate, it will leave less of an impact on the land. A good guidelines is to collect one third of the plant material, leaving two thirds for plant regeneration and wildlife.
reference
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