Spring’s bounty, then and now
What a confusing winter. Once again, spring is coming fast and judging from the wildflowers springing up around our hillsides and Valley floors, might already be here. For Native peoples spring indicated a time for a change in diet. As food prices soar, it may be time to harvest a few wild edible plants thriving in our backyards. Just a little food for thought.
One of my favorite courses while at Sonoma State University working on my graduate degree was Ethnobotany. Ethnobotany is the study of the relationship between people and plants. Basic nutrition tells us that what we put in our mouths is reflected in our health. I always found it interesting that foods consumed by local Native American populations generally do not make it to the modern Californian table. What benefits are we missing out on?
Spring was a reason to celebrate for our local Indians. The beginning of the foraging season opens with spring and lasts through summer and fall. Many plants were still harvested during the winter, but the prolific abundance of floral delights certainly open up in early spring.
One of the most prolific spring flowers eaten by Native peoples was clover. White and purple flowers were indigenous to pre-Columbian California and a welcome commodity after a long rainy winter. There were a number of varieties from which to choose, but the clover with the large red flower tops, Trifolium praetense, was preferred by the late 19th century. Red clover was not native to California but came from Europe with the Spanish colonists. Our local native peoples recognized the plant and consumed it in great numbers. The Kashaya Pomo used to collect red clover in large baskets and eat the flower heads, often causing severe bloating.
Trifolium praetense was also traditionally used to remedy a number of medical conditions including cancer, whooping cough, skin inflammations and a host of respiratory problems. It was also thought to purify the blood and was used to improve circulation and cleanse the liver. Consumption of clover was not limited to the red variety, but included numerous sub-species found in varied environments from desert to mountainous terrain.
The leaves can be steamed or boiled to create a potherb. The taste is a little bland, but clover can be mixed with spices, onion and garlic or just add a little butter, salt and pepper. The flowers and leaves are high in iron and vitamin C, giving other dark greens, such as spinach, a run for the money. Today, some brew two tablespoons of clover leaves to make a nutritional tea. The plant is also a valuable source of thiamine, potassium, phosphorus, niacin, magnesium, chromium, and calcium. This sounds better than the daily vitamins sold at our local pharmacies.
The red flowers contain isoflavones, which are known to fight infection, suppress appetite, and are wonderful blood cleansers. Because of their expectorant and relaxing affects, they have been used for inflammatory bowel disease, kidney problems, liver disease, skin disorders and as an energizer for weak immune systems.
For women experiencing hormonal changes, recent studies have shown that the isoflavones may be a worthwhile alternative to hormonal drug therapy. These studies show a positive effect on the lipid profiles of women with increased body mass index, who after treatment have shown significant decreases in total cholesterol and lipoprotein A levels. Other studies have found that red clover may prevent the growth of cancer cells and have killed such cells in test tubes. Studies have also shown red clover isoflavones can slow bone loss and increase bone mineral density in pre and peri-menopausal women. Because red clover can increase HDL cholesterol and contains blood-thinning properties, it is considered a heart healthy food.
It’s time to pull the wild edible plant book off the shelf and visit the great outdoors. There are so many easily identified common plants that can be snatched from the earth and prepared for the plate and palette.
