Plantains

Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked, but due to their bitterness and fibrous strands, they must be carefully prepared. It is recommended to blanch the leaves in boiling water before adding them to salads, as this improves the texture. The petiole contains more fiber than the leaf and is therefore usually not eaten. The dried leaves can be used to make tea. An alternative Chinese variant of this plant is easier to eat. Seeds can be eaten both raw and cooked and are very nutritious due to their high vitamin B1 content. Although harvesting the seeds can be challenging, they can be ground into flour and mixed with other flour, or cooked and used as sago. There is less known about the edibility of the root of this plant.