The popularity of houseplants has exploded over the last few decades. It’s not uncommon to see a home without any fresh-cut flowers, but instead with an assortment of plants in pots and hanging baskets. Houseplants are more than just decoration; they bring life and vitality into your home (and yes, some even provide food). Many of the most popular houseplants are edible and provide a number of health benefits. While there may not be many plants you can actually eat, eating parts of some common indoor plants is an inexpensive way to add nutrients to your diet.
Contents
Rosemary
The leaves of this popular herb are rich in antioxidants. But they also make an excellent seasoning for meats, poultry, and vegetables because it infuses the food with a delicious flavor that is similar to mint or pine. You can even use rosemary as part of your Thanksgiving turkey brine recipe to give the bird extra zing! A popular way to eat rosemary is to crush it into very thin slices, lay them on a baking sheet and bake in a low heat oven (175°-200°) until they are dry. The result? A crispy snack that’s perfect for movie nights!
Lemongrass
This pungent herb has long been used in Asian recipes but was only recently introduced in Western dishes. Lemongrass can be found fresh or frozen at many grocery stores. It adds great flavor when added to soups, stews, curries, and stir-fries. Like rosemary, lemongrass can also be baked over low heat until it becomes crisp enough to add as a garnish or light seasoning for meats and vegetables before
Aloe
This plant contains two compounds found in many skincare products – resveratrol (a powerful antioxidant) and glycolic acid (an exfoliant). The aloe gel inside this succulent has been used medicinally for centuries by people around the world to treat minor burns, rashes, and other skin problems. It also adds a slight tang to dishes and is often used as the base for many homemade salad dressings.
Chili Pepper
For those who like spicy foods, chili peppers not only provide a spicy kick but can also pack quite a nutritional punch. They are high in vitamins C and A as well as the antioxidant vitamin E. Capsaicin, the substance that gives chilies their heat and zing, is also a powerful anti-inflammatory. Eat them raw in salads or salsa, grind them up to use as a dry rub on meats and fish before grilling.
Banana Plant
While you may not want to eat an entire banana plant (it’s actually considered poisonous), there is nothing wrong with eating its fruit! However, keep in mind that if eaten raw it tastes very bitter so it works best when cooked into desserts like banana bread or muffins where this bitterness will be masked by other flavors. You can even use some of the leaves when cooking since they impart a wonderful flavor to soups and stews without any adverse effects on your health.
Peppermint
This herb is a natural digestive aid and anti-inflammatory that helps reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, nausea, cramps, and other stomach problems. It’s also great for migraine headaches since it contains the pain reliever menthol – just be careful not to use too much! Never drink peppermint tea while pregnant or breastfeeding without first checking with your doctor though because this powerful plant can stimulate uterine contractions which may lead to miscarriage in some women.
Pomegranate
This tangy fruit has been used medicinally for centuries for everything from skin problems to kidney stones. But the fruit also contains powerful antioxidants that protect against cellular damage, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation in your body. Another thing about pomegranate is that it’s very high in potassium, which is important to heart health.
Spider Plant
These unusual plants are not only interesting because they produce long vines covered with “air roots” but they also contain potassium. Potassium is something many Americans lack in their diets due to high sodium intake. Potassium deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and even stroke so adding some spider plant to your diet can help prevent these serious health problems.
Sansevieria
This plant is one of the most popular houseplants because it is easy to grow and thrives indoors. It’s also known as snake grass or mother-in-law’s tongue. The leaves are full of calcium, vitamin A (great for your skin) and contain high levels of iron which helps carry oxygen through your body but can be difficult to get into our diets due to modern food processing techniques that remove much of this nutrient from foods like spinach, kale, and other greens.
Bamboo Palm Tree
If you want a beautiful indoor tree with nutritious fruits then look no further than the bamboo palm tree! Not only does it produce berries rich in antioxidants like lycopene (which has been shown to help fight cancer), but it also contains vitamin C, iron, and calcium that are essential for healthy red blood cells. It can also help reduce stress in your life with its peaceful demeanor.
Cilantro
If you’ve ever ordered a dish of Mexican food and found it incredibly tasty even though there was no cheese or sour cream added, chances are the cook used some cilantro to flavor his/her meal! It can be used dried or fresh on all kinds of foods but since many people either don’t like the taste or have an aversion to eating soap (it does somewhat resemble this). They often use other flavoring options instead of cilantro. But if you want more than just another pretty face when growing these plants indoors then consider using them more at dinnertime! You will get lots of health benefits from adding more of this herb
Ginger
This pungent root is rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. It also contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols that help soothe the digestive tract as well as ease arthritis pain throughout your body. Also ginger is a very warming herb so it’s great for treating cold and flu symptoms.
Lemon
Not only is this fruit high in vitamin C and antioxidants, but it also contains citric acid which helps break down fibrin (a protein that causes your blood to clot) so you can avoid unwanted clots. It’s important to remember though that lemons are acidic foods – if eaten too frequently they may cause stomach problems like heartburn or GERD.
Conclusion
There are many herbs and fruits that can be eaten right from your own home to help boost your health, but always remember the golden rule of eating these plants – moderation is key. Don’t eat too much of any one thing at once or it might cause digestive problems like diarrhea or stomach cramps which will defeat the purpose of adding them into your diet in the first place! Also remember that every person’s body is different so while some people may have no adverse effects from eating too much peppermint tea, others might.
