If you should find yourself in a survival situation where you’ve exhausted your food supplies, it’s time to start thinking about foraging and possibly hunting to get your daily nutrition. There are many wild plants you can eat in virtually every type of ecosystem, some of which have fantastic nutritional value and some that are more filling than nutritious. It’s a good idea to start researching which wild plants are safe to eat now so you have that information ready if a survival situation occurs. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common wild plants you can eat.
Dandelion
Dandelions score high on the list of wild plants you can eat for survival, since almost every part of the plant is edible, from the flowers to the leaves to the roots. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and K — very important for proper organ function, immune system health, transporting calcium to the bones, and blood clotting. Flowers can be eaten raw, while leaves can be eaten raw like salad greens or steeped in boiling water to make tea. The roots serve as a viable coffee substitute when steeped in boiling water as well.
Acorn
Acorns are a great source of nutrition in situations where you must forage for wild food, containing large amounts of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, as well as calcium, phosphorus, niacin, and potassium. These nuts originate from all species of oak trees, and are best consumed when the nut is mature, or brown all over. Because of the high tannin content of acorns, it is necessary to soak them for several hours before preparation to avoid stomach discomfort. Once all the tannins are satisfactorily leached, you can eat them raw, roast them over a fire (great for steeping a coffee substitute), or grind them down to make flour.
Clover
Like dandelions, clover is one of the wild plants you can eat in which you can consume most of it. Although parts of the plant are very bitter, they are high in protein, beta carotene, vitamin C, many B vitamins, and more. Young leaves and fresh blooms (avoid brown or dying ones) can be eaten raw, while mature leaves and stems can either be steeped for tea or roasted over a fire. This wild plant should be consumed completely fresh or completely dried.
Cattail
As far as wild plants you can eat for survival go, the cattail might seem the least likely, with a fuzzy brown “flower” that may look like a corndog, but tastes like sawdust. Don’t eat that part — the nutritional value lies in the stalks and roots. Cattail stalks and roots are loaded with starch, with more per acre than potatoes, rice, yam, or taro, and are rich in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as phosphorus and potassium. Peel the leaves away from the stalks and roots, and then soak for at least five minutes to release excess starch ( like rinsing quinoa, rice, or lentils). They can then be chopped and roasted over a fire, boiled, or eaten raw. Just be sure to discard or spit out any long, fibrous strings to avoid stomach discomfort.
