Wild Vegetables from Nature: Healthy Food?

Now in the spring it is again so far: on the fields, juicy meadows and in forests grow numerous wild vegetable plants such as dandelion, yarrow or nettle, which offer a completely special taste experience, and can be used variously in the kitchen, so diploma Oecotrophologin Ann-Margret Heyenga of the society for nourishing medicine and Diätetik registered association in Aachen.

Wild vegetables offer many benefits

Compared to cultivated vegetables, wild vegetables grow without additional administration of fertilizers or pesticides. In addition, wild vegetables contain many times more vitamins and minerals and have a spicier and more aromatic taste compared to cultivated plants.

The contained aromatic and bitter substances and essential oils have a positive effect on human metabolism: wild vegetables have a digestive, blood purifying and draining effect.

Quality of wild vegetables

The quality of wild vegetables depends on the collection location, so wild vegetable lovers should avoid busy roads, dog walking trails or inner-city parks, among other places.

An important prerequisite for the collection of wild vegetables is a perfect recognition of the species, so that there is no confusion with poisonous plants. Many plant experts therefore offer organized collecting tours.

Since the untreated plants can nevertheless be exposed to environmental pollutants, they must be washed thoroughly before consumption, stresses Ann-Margret Heyenga. Wild vegetables can be used in the kitchen raw or cooked. The leaves of wild vegetables are excellent for salads or as a vegetable garnish. In addition, the flowers of many wild plants can be used to garnish salads and soups.

Wild Vegetable Gathering Calendar