Transcript wild edible plants

Estimated 380,000 classified plants grow on
the earth’s surface. Of these, 120,000 are
edible.
< 50 % !!!!
Identification is very important
Early humans were probably vegetarians
- until they learned how to hunt.
As native plants were domesticated,
they lost there nutritional value.
Half of the world’s food today comes
from only three plant species:
Corn,
Wheat,
and Rice.
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 1. Cleaner: No insecticides and Herbicides
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 2. Nutrition: Foods lose nutritional value quickly after
being picked. (1/3 after one hour)
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 3. Value: It’s FREE $$
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 4. Survival: It can keep you alive and provides energy
to travel if lost. (You can live for three weeks without
food.)
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 5. Freedom & Self Reliance: Confidence to challenge
wilderness conditions.
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 6. Interesting: Recognizing plants allows you to appreciate
our natural environment.
Why should we study Wild Edible Plants?
 7. Medical uses: Some have useful chemicals while
others work as a placebo.
General Rules:
General Rules:
 1. Avoid bitter tasting plants.
General Rules:
 2. Positively I.D. all plants. (Are leaves alternate or
opposite? Is leaf venation palmate, whorled, parallel?) Use
a guide book to I.D.
General Rules:
 3. Know which parts are edible: roots, leaves, fruit, stem.
(Ex. rhubarb stems are tasty, but the leaves are poisonous.)
General Rules:
 4. Avoid plants with a milky sap.
General Rules:
 5. Collect only the part you will use. If you must harvest the
entire plant, apply the “rules of ten”. (For every plant you
harvest, leave ten behind.)
General Rules:
 6. Recognize poisonous plants.
Poison Ivy
Dogwood
General Rules:
7. Collect only common and abundant edibles.
(conservation)
General Rules:
 8. Plants that resemble edibles may not be edible!
Positive ID !!!!!!!!
 Morel: Awesome!!!
False Morel: Deadly!!!!
General Rules:
 9. Animals are unreliable indicators of edible plants.
General Rules:
 10. Avoid white berries and fungi.
General Rules:
 11. Eat small amounts. Your body is not acclimated to these
types of plants.
Nutritional Facts:
Three types of food nutrition:
.
Nutritional Facts:
Three types of food nutrition:
1.CARBOHYDRATES: Sugar & starch (cellulose). Can be
found in leaves, stem, roots, flowers and fruits. Contains 4
calories per gram.
Nutritional Facts:
Three types of food nutrition:
2. PROTEIN: Amino acids. Usually protein is obtained from
meat sources, but some plants contain protein: ex.
Legumes (peanuts, clovers, alfalfa). (4 calories /gram).
Nutritional Facts:
Three types of food nutrition:
3. Fat: Fats and oils. Seeds are a good source. Vegetable
fat is healthier than animal fat. (9 cal. / gram).
PARTS OF PLANTS THAT HAVE THE MOST ENERGY:
 1. SEEDS: Most energy. High in fats and oils. Energy for the
new plant to grow.

 2. FRUITS: High carbohydrates. Seeds in fruit also high energy.

 3. ROOTS: Roots and stems store carbohydrates (starch).

 4. LEAVES: Least energy. The leaves make the food, but the
food is stored in other parts of the plant. That’s why
people on diets eat lettuce leaves.


How do plants eat????
How do plants eat????
Photosynthesis:
light
6C02 + 6H2O --- C6H12O6 + 6 O2

(glucose)

Photosynthesis:
Light and Dark Reaction !!
What do Plants do with Glucose??
What do Plants do with Glucose??
 RESPIRATION!!!
 C6H12O6 + 6O2
 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP
What do Plants do with Glucose??
ATP = Energy for the cell
What do Plants do with Glucose??
Leafs
 http://www.vplants.org/plants/glossary/index.html
Leaf parts
Plants aren’t the only wild thing you can eat!!!