Edible Flowers: Antioxidant Compounds and Their Functional Properties

Prabawati, Nadhila B. B.; Oktavirina, Viki; Palma, Miguel; Setyaningsih, Wiwik

doi:10.3390/horticulturae7040066

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 126 publications

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“…As already mentioned, there are several works available regarding the functional characteristics of edible flowers; however, the majority of them focus on the health benefits, and in some of them a brief description of the main compounds is presented [3][4][5][6][7][8]. The aim of the present study is to provide a detailed presentation of the main compounds detected in edible flowers and the possible antioxidant activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Flowers are parts of plants that also contain amounts of several phytochemicals, and therefore they have been used since ancient times for their potential therapeutic properties in medicine or for culinary purposes [3]. Nowadays, the results of several research studies support these potential health properties of edible flowers, known since ancient times.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, these studies concluded that it is mainly the antioxidant activities of such compounds that are responsible for these health benefits, since they are linked with the prevention of several diseases (Figure 2). Therefore, various recent review articles are available reporting the potential health benefits of phytochemicals from edible flowers [3][4][5][6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Properties of Edible Flowers

Kandylis

2022

Applied Sciences

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Nowadays there is a growing interest among consumers for functional food products, and edible flowers could be a solution to fulfill this demand. Edible flowers have been used throughout the centuries for their pharmaceutical properties, but also in some areas for culinary purposes. There is a great variety of edible flowers, and numerous studies are available regarding their chemical composition and potential antioxidant and functional characteristics. Therefore, the present work focuses on gathering a vast amount of data regarding edible flowers. Phytochemical content, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, etc.) of more than 200 edible flowers are presented. The main phytochemicals belong to the groups of phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids and tocols, while great variability is reported in their content. The present study could be a useful tool to select the edible flowers that can be served as sources of specific phytochemicals with increased antioxidant activity and evaluate them for their safety and potential application in food industry, during processing and storage.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Properties of Edible Flowers

Kandylis

2022

Applied Sciences

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“…A flower, blossom or bloom is the reproductive structure of flowering plants (division Angiospermae), whose biological function is to facilitate plant reproduction and produce fruits containing one or more seeds [ 2 ]. However, regardless of the unquestionable role in the reproductive life of the plant, flowers are also a rich source of various SM such as phenols, ascorbic acid (AsA) and pigments, which highlight this type of food as a nutritious, valuable and highly appreciated antioxidant source [ 3 , 4 ]. The chemical composition of edible flowers is heterogeneous, but the most abundant chemical compounds are phenols, of which the most common and the most important are phenolic acids, flavonoids and anthocyanins, followed by carotenoids (carotenes, xantophylls) and chlorophylls; alkaloids, betalains, betacyanins and betaxanthins; nitrogen-containing and organosulfur compounds, etc., [ 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Edible Flower Species as a Promising Source of Specialized Metabolites

Dujmović

Radman

Opačić

et al. 2022

Plants

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Eating habits are changing over time and new innovative nutrient-rich foods will play a great role in the future. Awareness of the importance of a healthy diet is growing, so consumers are looking for new creative food products rich in phytochemicals, i.e., specialized metabolites (SM). The consumption of fruits, vegetables and aromatic species occupies an important place in the daily diet, but different edible flower species are still neglected and unexplored. Flowers are rich in SM, have strong antioxidant capacities and also possess significant functional and biological values with favorable impacts on human health. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the content of SM and the antioxidant capacities of the edible flower species: Calendula officinalis L. (common marigold), Tagetes erecta L. (African marigold), Tropaeolum majus L. (nasturtium), Cucurbita pepo L. convar. giromontiina (zucchini) and Centaurea cyanus L. (cornflower). The obtained results showed the highest content of ascorbic acid (129.70 mg/100 g fw) and anthocyanins (1012.09 mg/kg) recorded for cornflower, phenolic compounds (898.19 mg GAE/100 g fw) and carotenoids (0.58 mg/g) for African marigold and total chlorophylls (0.75 mg/g) for common marigold. In addition to the esthetic impression of the food, they represent an important source of SM and thus can have a significant impact if incorporated in the daily diet.

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“…The culinary flora includes several species whose flowers are edible and are commonly used for culinary purposes, including not only ornamental plants but also wild species, trees, and vegetables [9][10][11]. The high number of such species means that edible flowers contain a great variety of phytochemicals that contribute to their visual appearance (e.g., colorants such as anthocyanins, carotenoides) and bioactive properties (e.g., phenolic compounds) [9,12]. The popularity of these compounds is directly related to the numerous health benefits that their consumption may infer, especially their antioxidant potential and bioactivities, such as anti-inflammatory activity, cardioprotection, and prevention against some types of cancer [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product

et al. 2021

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Edible flowers are becoming very popular, as consumers are seeking healthier and more attractive food products that can improve their diet aesthetics and diversify their dietary sources of micronutrients. The great variety of flowers that can be eaten is also associated with high variability in chemical composition, especially in bioactive compounds content that may significantly contribute to human health. The advanced analytical techniques allowed us to reveal the chemical composition of edible flowers and identify new compounds and effects that were not known until recently. Considering the numerous species of edible flowers, the present review aims to categorize the various species depending on their chemical composition and also to present the main groups of compounds that are usually present in the species that are most commonly used for culinary purposes. Moreover, special attention is given to those species that contain potentially toxic or poisonous compounds as their integration in human diets should be carefully considered. In conclusion, the present review provides useful information regarding the chemical composition and the main groups of chemical compounds that are present in the flowers of the most common species.

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Edible Flowers: Antioxidant Compounds and Their Functional Properties

Cited by 23 publications

References 126 publications

Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Properties of Edible Flowers

Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Properties of Edible Flowers

Edible Flower Species as a Promising Source of Specialized Metabolites

The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product

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