Content
- Is the consumption of woodruff poison?
- The use of woodruff in food
- Dangers of consuming woodruff
- The right approach to harvesting woodruff
- Tips & Tricks
Is the consumption of woodruff poison?
As the woodruff appears as an aroma in many traditional foods, it is obviously basically edible. However, with regular consumption, caution is also advised, as otherwise it can lead to health damage.
The use of woodruff in food
The woodruff has been known over the last hundred years as a flavor flavor, especially by the following products:
Its characteristic taste, along with a certain acidity in certain foods and drinks, is refreshing and invigorating. In addition, Waldmeister was and is also used as a natural remedy for headaches, he is also considered digestive and cramps. While in the past, many drinks and sweets for children were flavored with real woodruff, these flavors are today due to an artificially produced aroma. This is because the use of real woodruff in these products has been banned since 1974 in Germany due to the contained coumarin.
Dangers of consuming woodruff
Basically Waldmeister is more health-promoting than harmful with proper handling and a sparing dosage. The prohibition of use in children's products, however, goes back to often very regular consumption and possible damage to health. Thus, overdosed intake of coumarin from the woodruff can not only cause dizziness and headache, but also lead to prolonged damage to the liver.
The right approach to harvesting woodruff
The plant known as woodruff Galium odoratum is usually collected from natural resources in the forest, but sometimes also cultivated in shady places in the garden. Waldmeister flowers in the region between mid-April and mid-May depending on the region, shortly before reaching its strongest aroma.
Tips & Tricks
Woodruff is also edible as a seasoning in salads and desserts, but most of the flavor is obtained by soaking the short wilted stem in some liquid.
WK