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e nutrients found in wild foods cannot
be matched by their counterparts at the
supermarket, or even the farmers market,
conventional or organic. Studies have shown
the TAC, or total antioxidant count, in wild
fruits and vegetables are far and above what their
cultivated cousins contain. is refers to nutrients
such as polyphenols, carotenoids, chlorophylls,
and ascorbic acid, which are so important to modern health because they ght free radicals in the body and have cancer- ghting properties.
Wild plants contain far more substantial amounts of these antioxidants. is isn’t just due to healthy soil, the absence of pesticides or other man-made interventions. In order for a plant to survive in the wild it needs to defend itself against the forces that threaten to harm it, such as fungi, viruses and bacteria. Antioxidants are the compounds a plant produces to protect it from environmental hazards. As these compounds serve to safeguard plants, contributing to their optimum health, when humans partake of the plant-based foods that contain them, the protective properties transfer over to bene t us as well.
Many people are interested in foraging wild foods because of these signi cant health bene ts, but that is not the only draw. ere is the diversity of plant life, the connection with nature, and best of all, the food is free. While some folks may just stop to enjoy some wild berries by the side of the road, others make a livelihood from foraging, picking for the expanding number of restaurants that increasingly feature wild foods on their menus. Indeed, many of these cannot be found in the produce section of your local supermarket.
e diverse topography of California, coupled with its temperate climate, make it ideal for foraging. Each bio-region contains foods native to its environment, though some plant species like to travel and often show up in other areas. While what is fresh will vary with
the season, what you can expect are: mountain regions bountiful with nuts and greens and, if you’re lucky enough to nd them in forests, wild mushrooms; elds abundant with edible owers in season, the edges rimmed with berry and bramble bushes; seaside stretches where nutrient-dense seaweeds such as algae and other sea vegetables bide. e chaparrals’
manzanita provides berries and owers, most of which can be eaten. Desert regions hold a plethora of edibles including palm dates and cactus fruits, although some taste better than others. Even urban areas have wild foods for the picking, from weedy lawns, coniferous and ornamental trees, the cracks of sidewalks and cacti, though it would behoove you to make certain your edibles have not been subject to pollutants or other toxins such as pesticides!
Foraging may be fun, free, and a source of nutritious, delicious fare, but there are de nite protocols that should be followed. ese are for the safety of the eater, the ecosystem that depends on the plant, and the plant itself, which needs to regenerate and grow. Furthermore, there are a host of laws in place to both guide and restrict who can pick which plants, and where. ough some may resent these regulations, they exist for those people who are unaware of the damage they may impinge on the environment, causing soil erosion and depleting food sources essential for native animal species. Foragers walk a ne line between the right to pick wild plants and the obligation to respect nature.
So, before you start out foraging for wild foods, make certain you go where you are welcome. Here are some loose guidelines, but the most prudent course of action is to ask before you pick.
1. Foraging is restricted in California state parks. Harvesting in
state forests usually requires a permit. National forests generally allow small amounts of edibles to be harvested, but foraging in designated wilderness areas is prohibited. And, of course, trespassing on private property for any reason is illegal. e harvesting of marine aquatic plants, such as seaweed, comes with its own set of rules and regulations based on volume and region.
2. Learning how to forage properly is essential so that plant life is not destroyed in the process; here are a few rules of thumb:
a. Experts advise to only take 1/7 of a plant so that it is able to
rejuvenate, thrive and grow.
b. Remember that it is not just about you, or the plant, but the
entire bio-system of a region that is interwoven.
Desert regions hold a plethora of edibles including palm dates and cactus fruits, although some taste better than others.
26 Spring 2016
www.edibleorangecounty.com