Edible flower considerations as ingredients in food, medicine and cosmetics

Abstract

There is a great demand in the market for natural products derived from plants. The edible flowers have in their constitution proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, important for the food industry, medicines and cosmetics. The antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds present in flowers provide several beneficial effects to human health. Thus, edible flower extracts or use of fresh flowers may be a viable alternative as a natural antioxidant in place of synthetic antioxidants in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetology industries.