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Edible flowers elevate your dining experience by adding flavor, texture, and beauty to your plate. But edible flowers also come with a host of health benefits that you may not be aware of.
By adding flowers like dandelion, chamomile, and mint to your diet, you can reap health benefits that include your gut, according to mindbodygreen. Edible flowers can boost plant-derived compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are highly nutritious.
So if you suffer from indigestion, gas, IBS, or other gastrointestinal issues, try some of these seven edible flowers that have good gut properties.
Fennel
This Mediterranean perennial that contains essential oils can act as a carminative, according to Mother Earth Living, that can reduce inflammation and relax the muscles in your digestive system. Fennel is also high in fiber which supports overall gut health.
You can eat the seeds and leaves of the fennel plant. Use the seeds in cooked foods or steep a teaspoon of them into hot water to make a medicinal tea.
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Dandelion
These blossoms are highly nutritious and packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Dandelions also contain bioactive chemical compounds including lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, two probiotics that are associated with good gut health.
You can use the flowers in salads, cooked into casseroles and stews or made into a healthy tea.
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Mint
All flowers in the mint family can be eaten according to the Flower Glossary. Mint comes with a host of health benefits and is chock full of vitamins, antioxidants, and may provide relief from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
You can use mint leaves to make an herbal caffeine-free tea, in water to add extra flavor, or add them to salads.
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Chamomile
This flower is best known as an herbal tea that relaxes you before bed. But chamomile has been a medicinal plant since ancient times. Besides helping to boost immunity and promoting heart health, this flower also aids digestion, reduces inflammation in the gut, and may also help prevent ulcers.
Use chamomile flowers to make a healthy tea or add them to salads.
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Nasturtium
These flowers add beautiful color to your garden and a peppery flavor to your food. But there’s more according to Mother Earth Living. Nasturtium is loaded with antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin C to reduce gut inflammation. Its pungency helps to stimulate digestive acids and release enzymes to aid digestion.
Just pick the flowers, gently wash, and they are ready to use in salads, or cook into foods like omelets.
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Chicory
This nutritious plant is often thought of as just a weed but it is packed with vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium and a large amount of dietary fiber. Chicory can be used to help ease constipation and to stimulate digestion.
Use the leaves in salads or as a spinach replacement in cooked foods.
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Rose Petals
Roses aren’t just beautiful! In fact, they offer health benefits too, according to Women’s Weekly. This edible flower helps to relieve headaches, reduce stress, calm indigestion, and relieve constipation.
Use rose petals in tea, in salads, make a jam from them, or dry to use as a tasty seasoning.
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