Flowers as Vegetables

By Roby Jose Ciju

Some flowers are eaten as vegetables in many parts of the world. Most popular among them are pumpkin flowers, Sesbania flowers, calabash gourd flowers and broccoli flower clusters. Nutritional information and food significance of these 4 popular flowers are briefed in this small book for informational purposes only.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AGRIHORTICO
• Release date: Mar 19, 2021

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https://www.agrihortico.com

INTRODUCTION

Flowers have been used for various food purposes since time immemorial. Though not all flowers are edible or consumable, there are a large number of flowers that can be used for various food purposes such as garnishing, flavoring, food coloring, and culinary purposes. Some examples of flowers that are used for food coloring and flavoring purposes are roses, hibiscus flowers, marigold flowers, chrysanthemum flowers, and basil flowers. A few examples of flowers that are used for garnishing purposes are cilantro flowers, flowers belonging to the Onion and Garlic family (Allium spp.), and mint flowers.

Some flowers and flower clusters such as broccoli flower clusters and calabash gourd white flowers are not only edible but rich in nutrients also. They are used for various culinary purposes such as for the preparation of various vegetable dishes, soups, and fried snacks. One of the most important edible flowers that require a special mentioning in this booklet is banana blossoms.

Mainly five edible flowers are discussed in this booklet. These are banana flowers, pumpkin flowers, sesbania flowers, calabash gourd flowers and broccoli flowers.

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Figure 1: Pumpkin Flower

NUTRITION AND HEALTH BENEFITS

All five edible flowers that are listed here, i.e. banana flowers, pumpkin flowers, sesbania flowers, calabash