A Review of Traditional and Prospective Vegetable, Medicine, Spice-Yielding Edible Flowers, and Some Toxic Non-Edible Flowers of West Bengal

Author: Bandyopadhyay A., Mondal R., Sahu J.K., Reza Md. A., Tirki K. and Thaneshwari

Download PDF

Abstract

The EAT-Lancet Commission in 2019 advocated for a change in the global food system to one that is sustainable and nutritious. In West Bengal, poor households spend more on entertainment than on purchasing food materials, so edible flowers are one of the inexpensive dietary sources and provide a sensory contribution to foodstuffs. In West Bengal, vegetable curries prepared from the flowers of banana, pumpkin, agati, drumstick, etc. are very popular for their taste and nutritional supplementation. Edible flowers have many bioactive substances that have anti-cancer, cardioprotective, and anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as being useful in the management of diabetes, obesity, and neurological illnesses. On the other side, a few flowers have toxic substances that, if consumed by people in small quantities, can cause allergies and some dreaded diseases. Some common flowers have ornamental or crop values that are edible in several countries but not in West Bengal, making them prospective for future consumption as a new inexpensive food source.

Keywords

West Bengal, Nutritious flowers, poisonous flowers, future edible flowers, food processing, pharmaceutical, alternate food

Conclusion

In nature, flowers are wonderful creatures for their beauty and are a major organ for sexual reproduction. Flowers are an integral part of many people’s livelihoods, particularly those involved in commercial floriculture and nursery businesses. Since ancient times, many flowers have been grown for their edible qualities and used as vegetables to provide nutrients such as carbohydrate, fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Some of the edible flowers are consumed as spices for their beautiful flavour and taste and used in medicines for their active constituents, which protect humans from several dreaded diseases. The flowers are now used to prepare different health drinks and garnish food plates to attract people’s palates. Now a days, people are searching for alternate foods and some of the edible flowers that are grown in our surroundings but are not known for their edible nature in West Bengal, whereas they have been famous for consumption purposes in different countries for a long time, so they may be comfortably and securely adopted for consumption purposes without any hazardous side effects. On the other hand, there are some flowers that are consumed in different forms in our country, but people are unaware of the presence of toxic and allergic components in them. Therefore, scientific awareness is required before choosing any flower for consumption purposes.

References

-

How to cite this article

Bandyopadhyay A., Mondal R., Sahu J.K., Reza Md. A., Tirki K. and Thaneshwari (2023). A Review of Traditional and Prospective Vegetable, Medicine, Spice-Yielding Edible Flowers, and Some Toxic Non-Edible Flowers of West Bengal. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8a): 82-93.