Find Your Favorite Floral Flavor

It’s always such a treat to dine in a restaurant that isn’t afraid to add splashes of color in their dishes or cocktails through the use of edible flowers.

You may start to find these delicate beauties adorning your salads, steeping in your teas, or as I have seen most recently, gracing your margaritas. But what do we do with the delicate blossom on the edge of our dish? Are we supposed to eat them?  What do they taste like?  Are they good for us?  Edible flowers are not just pretty garnishes prized for their aesthetic appeal.  They actually offer a multitude of health benefits, from providing essential nutrients, to possessing potential medicinal properties, making them a great addition to a healthy diet.   

Edible flowers are packed with essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Nasturtiums, for instance, are rich in Vitamin C which is essential for immune support as well as skin health. Hibiscus has high levels of Vitamin A, which is crucial for vision, immune response and skin integrity. Many edible flowers also contain minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium which are vital for bone health, muscle function and cardiovascular health. 

The high antioxidant properties of edible flowers are their most significant health benefit.  Marigolds are a great example of this.  Marigolds contain lutein and zeaxanthin which are known to promote eye health by protecting against oxidative stress that can lead to macular degeneration. Similarly, the flavonoids and polyphenols in roses and violets are known to neutralize free radicals that can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders. 

Edible flowers also support many of our body systems.  Dandelion, that common yard weed, actually aids in digestion by stimulating the appetite as well as the production of bile which helps to break down the fats in the foods that we eat.  It also acts as a diuretic.   The anthocyanins in hibiscus have been found to lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.  And of course, the most popularly recognized effects of flower consumption, chamomile and lavender, known to calm the anxious mind.   

So now that we can fully appreciate that these delicate blossoms may play a beneficial role in our overall health goals, we can further explore their flavor profiles and culinary applications.  As a general rule of thumb, flowering herbs such as lavender, thyme and basil taste very similar to their leaves, while fruiting flowers such as apple, elderberry, and citrus blossoms range from floral, to sweet to citrusy. Other blooms range widely in flavor profile and some may have very little flavor at all. 

Flower	Flavor	Culinary Application
Chamomile	Sweet, mild, apple-like	Tea, desserts
Dandelion	Sweet, honey-like when picked young	Breads, fritters and liquors
Hibiscus	Citrus, sweet, tart and tangy, similar to cranberry	tea, jam, soups, sauces
Marigold	light and citrusy to mildly spicy	Salads, soups, tarts, teas
Nasturtium	Sweet and spicy	Salad, open faced sandwiches, stir-fry, pesto, garnish
Pansy	Slightly sweet green or grassy. Similar to baby lettuce with a hint of wintergreen	Salads, cookies, simple syrup, tarts, garnish
Rose	Sweet, floral	Syrup, jam, desserts
Violet	Subtle, sweet, floral	Desserts, syrups, garnish

Now that we better understand the potential health benefits, expected flavor profiles and culinary applications for some of the more common edible flowers, there are a few other things we must consider.  Much of the research on the benefits of consuming flowers is based on small studies with limited numbers of participants as well as animal and laboratory studies, so as with most things, additional research is needed.  Additionally, it is important to understand that all flowers are NOT edible.  In fact, many flowers are naturally toxic!  Even edible flower varieties can be dangerous to consume if they have been treated with or exposed to harmful chemicals, and not all parts of every edible flower is actually edible.  The flower stamen and pistils should be removed and discarded.   Some edible flowers may pose a risk to those with allergies as well as to those who may be pregnant or nursing, or to those on certain medications.   

With these things in mind here are a few recommendations:  

• Check with your doctor prior to consuming flowers if you have any questions or concerns. 

• Start slow and see how your body responds to avoid unwanted side effects. 

• Never consume flowers that have been treated with pesticides or that have been harvested by the side of the rode. If you can not be certain, do not eat it! 

• Do your research. Identify the flower exactly and eat only edible flowers and edible parts of those flowers.  

As you enjoy these warm summer days, be on the look out for edible flowers on menus in your favorite The Villages restaurants, and try something new!  The Villages Grown is currently growing a variety of edible flowers for our local restaurants to add a splash of color to our community!  The Villages Grown at Sawgrass Grove now offers Violas for all of our home chefs.  Bon Appetite