Edible Plants With Health Benefits
Eat Plants! Burn Plants! Use Them as Medicine!
Your mom always told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. While she had a point, she probably didn’t tell you that could eat other plants. She probably also didn’t tell you how to use plants in other ways. Looking for nutritious plants? Look beyond grocery stores and local markets. Instead, take a walk around your backyard or local park. These travels can also lead you to plants you can use for medicine and to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Some useful plants include:
Acorns
Acorns are a familiar sight in wooded areas around the world. Oak trees produce acorns as fruit, and acorns are “higher in caloric content per unit weight than cereal grains, a reliable source of vitamin C and starch, and high in magnesium, calcium and phosphorus,” according to Dawn Starin in Scientific American.
Acorns are a good source of food because they’re abundant and easy to gather. Some oaks are endangered, though, so you might want to learn about the oak species in your area before you forage.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are other common sights around trees and other areas. They are nutritional powerhouses, providing fiber, complex carbohydrates, niacin, B vitamins, copper, potassium, selenium, and other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Of course, some mushrooms are poisonous, so use guides to determine whether to eat or avoid a particular type of mushroom.
Wild berries
Wild berries can be found on many shrubs and trees and can be very nutritious. Wild blackberries, for example, have three to five times more polyphenols than store-bought berries. Polyphenols are antioxidant chemicals. Berries are also versatile. You can eat them raw, blend them into smoothies, and incorporate them into several sweet and savory dishes.
Burning plants
Plants are useful for more than food. Did you know that you can burn some plant products for medicinal purposes? Some people swear that burning sage, a process known as smudging, can produce benefits such as reducing the amount of bacteria in the air. Other cultures have long burned incense for religious reasons. Incense is a combination of natural materials and fragrances. Some religions believe that burning incense can provide psychological benefits and the substance may calm people struggling with depression and substance use disorders.
Using plants as medicine
Another way to use plants medicinally is to use them as, well, medicine. People have long used plants for various applications. For example, crushing the leaves of the lemon balm plant can treat cold sores and insomnia. One famous plant used for its medicinal properties is St. John’s wort. People with depression and substance use disorder problems may turn to this plant to improve their conditions. But, people should research St. John’s wort and other potential treatments before use. This applies to any plant or drug, because they may affect people in different ways and may interact with each other.
Enjoying the beauty of plants
Plants are attractive. We shouldn’t underestimate the beauty of a bouquet of wildflowers or a handful of autumn leaves. Looking at beautiful things boosts our moods. Spending time outdoors to gather these flowers can lift our spirits as well. Spending time outdoors physically removes us from stress and helps us incorporate physical activity into our day instead of diet pills. Wild plants are so versatile. We can use them as food or medicine. They provide easy, inexpensive ways to sustain our physical and mental health. For more information on edible plants and other cool facts check out
Written by: Pam Zuber
