You may find yourself in the middle of an emergency without warning, and it is important to prioritize your efforts in those circumstances. You may not have access to your emergency food storage or other survival supplies, but you should find a water source first, then find or create shelter, and then build a fire if the conditions warrant. Only then should you consider what to do about food. One of your options might be edible plants, meaning plants that are safe for humans to eat, regardless of palatability.

This article is not meant to be a complete source of information on edible plants. Eating plants without positive identification is dangerous, as many plants are toxic and poisonous if ingested. Some poisonous plants look very similar to edible plants, for instance hemlock looks and smells like wild carrots. We strongly recommend that you obtain a complete field guide on edible plants in your area and learn as much as you can before finding yourself in an emergency.

Plants have several distinguishing features for identification such as leaves, flowers, roots, and seeds. There are some general guidelines as to which plant is toxic. If leaves are glossy, or grow in groups of threes, the plant is probably poisonous. Stay away from plants that have milky sap, thorns, or hairs. The exception to this is the dandelion, of which all parts are edible. Avoid plants that have an almond-like aroma, as these usually contain dangerous cyanide compounds. Fruit that has started to decay, has mold or mildew might contain unhealthy toxins and should not be eaten. If growing near contaminated water, then the plants themselves may also be contaminated and should be boiled for at least ten minutes before eating.

Some plants have both edible and poisonous parts. The leaves may be safe, while the roots are toxic or vice versa. It is important to learn about the entire plant. Certain plants may just not be palatable due to tannin compounds or acidic content. Boiling or baking these will remove the bitterness. Learn how to prepare plants that have these traits to make them more appealing. Do not eat wild mushrooms unless you are absolutely certain that you have identified the species. Some mushrooms can make you very ill or even cause death. Symptoms can take days to show up after eating toxic mushrooms, and by then the nervous system has been compromised, possibly beyond repair.

If a field guide is not available to you and if you are not well versed in which plants are safe, there is a test that you can conduct to see if a plant is edible. The test is very time consuming, so make sure there is plenty of that type of plant to eat afterward. It is important that you perform the test after having not eaten for at least eight hours and drinking only purified water. First, rub the plant on the inside of your elbow and wait fifteen minutes to see if you have a reaction. Next, prepare the plant as you would to eat it and touch it to your lip and wait for swelling or itching. Then hold it on your tongue and wait fifteen minutes for a reaction. You can then chew it and hold it in your mouth without swallowing your saliva. If all of these tests show no indication of toxicity, chew about a teaspoon of the plant and swallow it. Now wait about eight hours to see if you have a reaction. If you feel sick or nauseous, induce vomiting and drink plenty of water.

Foraging for enough edible plants, testing them and then preparing them is often not worth the effort, except in extreme circumstances, because they typically do not replace the energy expended. If possible, having access to an emergency food source, such as freeze dried food which has a very long shelf life and requires minimal storage space is preferable.

-Gary Jenkins-