As with many other wild herbs, the question arises when it comes to Indian balsam: Is it poisonous or edible? Or is this even a medicinal herb? The questions can all be answered with yes.
Which parts of Indian balsam are edible?
The Indian jewelweed is partly edible: While raw leaves are slightly poisonous, the nutty-tasting seeds and the decorative flowers are edible. Roasted seeds taste reminiscent of French fries.
This sounds pretty confusing at first, but it's easy to explain. Both stems and leaves contain abundant glycosides. Eating the raw herb is therefore not good for your he alth. Larger amounts are toxic. Possible symptoms of poisoning include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal cramps and dizziness.
The edible parts of the Indian jewelweed
The pretty flowers and seeds of the Indian balsam are edible. You can use the flowers as an edible decoration for a cold buffet, salads or cheese platters. Frozen in small containers with water, you get decorative ice cubes for your summer punch.
The seeds taste more or less nutty depending on their degree of ripeness. The riper they are, the more pronounced their taste. They contain a lot of oil and could even be used for oil production. However, this is relatively complex. Roasted in a pan without oil, the seeds pop like popcorn. Then they taste like French fries.
How to collect Indian jewelweed seeds
The jewelweeds get their name from the seed capsules that pop open at the slightest touch. They throw their seeds several meters away and can spread easily and very widely, especially since the seeds remain viable for many years. When collecting the seeds, it is important to avoid them jumping away.
The easiest way to do this is to carefully pull a large bag over the plant with the ripe seed capsules. Then bend the plant slightly downwards and hold the bag tightly closed around the stem. As soon as you touch the balsam from the outside, the seed capsules will pop open and the seeds will fall into the bag.
Edibility of the plant parts:
- raw leaves slightly poisonous and not very tasty
- Seeds are edible, taste nutty (the riper, the nuttier)
- roasted seeds taste similar to French fries
- Flowers can be used as edible decoration or for ice cubes
Tip
When roasted in the pan, the jewelweed seeds live up to their name. They pop like popcorn. Try it once!
