Gwenda Kyd came in June to give a presentation on “Incredible Edible and Drinkable Plants”. Gwenda is a chemist by training but got interested in all aspects of plants and herbal medicine. Plants form a very big part of people’s diet with increasing population of vegans and vegetarians. Britain is joint top in Europe with Ireland in eating 5/day, as it gives nutrition, flavour, colour and has beneficial medicinal compounds. The speaker then chose a few examples of plants to give more detail of their benefits.
Carrots; cultivated for over 2,000 years. Western varieties are predominantly orange, contain beta carotene, a good antioxidant and mop up free radicals. Yellow and orange fruit and veg offer protection for the cardiovascular system, also the body can convert the beta carotene to retinol, which is good for eye health. Shrimps, salmon and flamingos, all get their orange/pink colour from the carotene in the diet. Flamingos eat shrimps, who eat micro algae, so it’s in the food chain. Carrot tops, not commonly eaten are very nutritious containing Vit C, K and Ca. Potassium can lower BP and prevent calcium loss. It has antiseptic properties and the juice can be used as a mouthwash, to freshen breadth and soothe mouth sores.
Olives; Homer referred to this as “Liquid Gold” and “Olive Branch” symbolises peace offering. 90% of today’s olives are turned to olive oil. Due to the high price of extra virgin olive oil, criminals adulterate the final product by mixing it with a cheap substitute. The beneficial ingredient is oleocanthal, supposedly responsible for lowering the incidence of heart disease and Alzheimer’s in people following the Mediterranean diet. Oleocanthal can degrade under high heat, so it is best to use it at the end of cooking or cold in salads.
Capsicums/chillies; These are added to dishes to give flavour and heat. It’s the inner membrane of the vegetable that has most of the potency. In the past, panels of people were used to determine the strength of chillies, but it was found that over time the body becomes desensitised to the heat. Today the Scoville scale is used. Scoville Heat Units (SHU) measures the amount of capsaicin. The wrinklier the pepper, the hotter it is. When consumed, it increases sweating, releases endorphins and is a potent irritant for mammals. The best way to reduce heat in the mouth is to drink a glass of cold milk as it contains a protein called casein, which breaks down capsaicin.
Apples; These contain pectin and polyphenols that can lower cholesterol as well as being rich in Vit. C. Some hay fever sufferers may be allergic to certain fruit. Pollen from birch and alder for example are structurally similar to those of apples. The condition is called Oral Allergy Syndrome. Drinking dry cider, made by adding crab apples, is believed to help rheumatism and gout. Apples also contain malic and tartaric acids which can help in food digestion.
Grapes; These can be eaten raw and the sugar doesn’t need an enzyme to break it down, hence good during convalescing. The dehydrated version is popular in baking. Both are toxic to dogs due to the presence of tartaric acid. Grapes are used extensively in wine making.
Coffee/cocoa; Coffee is the 2nd most popular drink in the world after water. It has lots of chemicals, not all beneficial. Caffeine is a stimulant, giving a fast effect, a diuretic and can raise BP. Cocoa contains theobromine, like caffeine, but provides a gentler mood and energy boost. It is very toxic to cats and dogs as it metabolises very slowly. Another chemical is theophylline, used in medicine for treating COPD, and it can improve the sense of smell. It does have serious interactions with some other drugs. Mediterranean diet has been recommended for a long time, due to the great variety of foods that are eaten with high proportion being plant- based.
