Survival Food Series #11 : Eat the Weed(s), Flowers and Roots! What You Can Eat From Your Own Backyard! Bidens! Yippee more Free Food!
40 second video to help you identify this wonder!# 11 Bidens Pilosa/Bidens Alba~ The common names are Spanish Needle or Beggar’s Tick....You may not recognize what plant put all of those little dried out needles on your pants after a hike...but more than likely it is this amazing edible, medicinal, wonder!
Makes a great substitute for Spinach...and is wonderful cooked! Here is mine collected for a sauteed medley.
Nutrition:
Bidens are high in calcium, protein, trace minerals and is an important contribution in to African diet, as can be seen by the attached study:
http://www.goandproclaim.co.za/downloads/file/Preliminary%20assessment%20of%20nutritional%20value%20of%20traditional%20leafy.pdf
I mention in my video that it is important to consume these edibles at least occasionally. If you become accustomed to not only finding them, but eating them as well, it will be smooth sailing in the event they become a staple. Besides, they are free, yummy, food!
Bidens are in a family of plants that take up heavy metals so you do not want to collect them by road ways or near an opal mine which creates silica in the air. Not a problem for most people!
I hope you enjoyed the short videos ...thank you for dropping by, wishing you have a happy day!
Love and peace,
Melissa
All images and text original from @joearnold.
Other articles in this series if you would like to catch up!
Disclaimer: As with all edibles, you want to collect away from roadsides that might be covered in heavy metals or other contaminates. This is not intended to be medical or expert advice. Readers of this article and harvesters of all plants takes full responsibility for use of any plant and should use appropriate precautions in identification of any plant before ingesting.
Interesting, I don't think we have this in Europe.
Pretty sure it is everywhere...i have seen it in Ecuador and Maine... ...you just maybe never noticed...or identified it...Thank you for visiting my blog again...I love your picture...
Love and peace,
Melissa
I worked as an ecologist conducting botanical surveys in woodlands, semi-natural grasslands, and upland areas in Ireland for six years and never came across it. But maybe on the continent, as there's way more plant diversity there compared to the island of Ireland.
Peace out
AHHH island ...that makes total sense...did not know you were in Ireland...did not remember or see it from your blog. Thank you for telling me as I was baffled. :)
lol. Actually currently I'm in Rio de Janeiro State in Brazil, so you have a right to be befuddled. Did a quick look up in wikipedia of Bidens, actually doesn't mention Europe in its distribution so maybe even the continent doesn't have it?
How interesting as it is used as a famine food in Africa...a large study on that and others was in my article...under nutrition Well I bet you find one there in Rio! You are clearly an expert, Me, just a prepper. Hey, if you are out and about...let me know...i am very curious now..Good thing I saw so many of the same weeds in South America as we have here in florida as when we expat ...we are heading to Ecuador...
much love and hope your trip to Rio is a blast!
melissa
So it actually does occur here in Rio de Janeiro and I've eaten it. It is quite popular among middle class eco-gastronomers simply cooked as a vegetable to compliment rice and beans. It's maybe not as widely used traditionally as food as might be expected. it has various common names but I think the most used in these parts is picão-preto.
So referring to Kinupp & Lorenzi (2014) they list as wild edibles for Brazil from this genus:
B. pilosa / Bidens alausensis / B. leucanthema / B. pilosa var. minor (all the same species, just taxonomers can't make their minds up).
Also there is: B. bipinnata var. cynapiifolia (known as picão-preto-amazônico / carrapicho) / B. cynapafolia & B. fusca (known as jambu, this is well known as a seasoning as it makes your mouth go numb!!! They used to use it as an anesthetic for dentistry).
For B. pilosa they (Kinupp & Lorenzi 2014) give recipes for ice tea, risoto and also simply sautéeing. The nutritional qualities they list seem quite impressive, as is normal for such wild food gems!
I was thinking if it occurs in the States it's surprising that I haven't seen it in Ireland. It's one thing for a plant to occur in the tropics and subtropics and not make the temperate zone, but it seems it does quite nicely in reality in colder climes.
looking forward to your next article as well...:)
Melissa
Wow...makes your mouth go numb!!! They used to use it as an anesthetic for dentistry).
That is a neat variety...genus? is that what I should say?
Yeah...maybe the island thing ...I have heard ..but do not know much about it that many unique plants and animals grow on islands found no where else. Next time we are down that way want to head to Galapagos, have heard it is a wonderland of unique species!
I so enjoy our conversation..you have taught me much,
Blessings for your day,
Melissa
PS: I've been in Rio for more than two years - it's awesome! Heading back to Europe next month though.
That is so cool ...love your sense of adventure...What brought you there? My husband and I are getting wanderlust...he has a regular job (college) and I have done everything from selling pharmaceuticals (big pharma.. I know...and yes, they are super corrupt)to teaching middle school (the jungle).
left you a long note on your introduction...You should still receive it i think!
Wow, and I thought my survival skills were good. I just totally learned something new. LOVE IT!
oh that makes me SOOOOO HAPPY!
Melissa
Great post man!
3.17 This time :)
aww thank you so much!
you got it :)
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#thealliance
Thank you Melissa! I loveeee wild edibles :) I was not aware of the awesomeness of Bidens before now. You totally rock!!!
Upvoted & Resteemed my friend.
OHH...thank you so much!
Joy and blessings to you!
Melissa
Thanks! I love learning about edible plants and their benefits.
Have a great day!
Thank you ..glad you enjoyed it!
Joy
Melissa
I love foraging off of my land. It's a fun game I play with myself - see how much wild food I can find today. I'm glad you mentioned acclimating ones body to eating foraged food. For those who prep and store food items that they haven't eaten before. It can be a rough haul for their bodies.
This is a food item I've never tried before, so I'm gonna be on the lookout for it. You recipe looks so yummy, I can't wait to try it for myself.
SO glad I motivated you ...Thank you for your kind words and input! Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to much more discord...so fun!
Peace and Joy,
Melisa
So weird! Goes to show you common names on plants can be very decieving from one region to another! We have a completely different plant that we call beggars tick!
That name is in the first sentence of the article also ...you probably just missed it....thank you so much for visiting ...hope you are having a super Monday!
Blessings,
Melissa
nice!