This delicious food, which only southerners know, is surprisingly nutritious!

If we talk about flowers that are both fragrant and delicious, osmanthus must be on the list.

However, what you may not know is that osmanthus flowers are not only edible, but also very nutritious!

Why is osmanthus so fragrant?

After identification, it was found that there are about 60 kinds of aroma components in osmanthus, including terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters and alkanes.

Terpenes have aromas such as wood, fruit, rose, violet, lemon, and pine; aldehydes have aromas such as vanilla, sweet orange, and apple; alcohols can also provide grass and apple aromas; esters have aromas such as coconut, grass, and peach; ketones have jasmine and cheese aromas.

Their combined effect gives osmanthus its charming fragrance, which varies depending on the variety and flowering period. [1]

Image source: pixabay

How nutritious is osmanthus?

The sweet-smelling osmanthus is also delicious to eat. It is not only delicious but also nutritious. Someone tested the nutrition of the petals of 25 osmanthus varieties during their blooming period. The results showed that the content of vitamin C, zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. in osmanthus is very good, and there are differences in nutritional components between different varieties.

After analyzing a number of data, the researchers concluded that the four varieties, Yanhonggui, Yuchengdangui, Qingshanyingui and Zuijihong, had higher comprehensive scores and were more suitable as edible osmanthus varieties. The comprehensive nutritional value of the three varieties, Boyejingui, Lianyejingui and Tiannvsanhua, was lower.

Image source: pixabay

The rich vitamin C in osmanthus helps to enhance the body's resistance and is also beneficial to maintaining skin health; the rich potassium and magnesium can help us better control blood pressure; calcium helps maintain the health of bones and teeth.

Compared with other edible flowers, osmanthus ranks among the top in terms of flavonoids content. This ingredient has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, can remove excess free radicals in the body, and is also helpful in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Studies have also found that the unique aroma of osmanthus contains aromatic substances such as decanoic acid lactone, α-ionone, linalool, γ-decanoic acid lactone, β-ionone, 4-hydro-β-ionone, palmitic acid, α-linolenic acid, etc. The fragrance it emits can soothe emotions, calm anxiety, and relieve physical and mental tension and stress. [3]

In addition, osmanthus has a pleasant fragrance. Drinking water soaked with it can not only replenish water, but also eliminate bad breath and relieve bad breath.

How to eat osmanthus and suggestions

In addition to making tea and wine, osmanthus flowers can also be used to make osmanthus candy, osmanthus cake, osmanthus jelly and other delicacies. Among them, the most popular is osmanthus cake.

Image source: Screenshot from the TV series "The Legend of Zhen Huan"

Regarding the production of osmanthus cake, someone has actually studied its optimal ratio.

Osmanthus lotus root cake:

Mix glutinous rice flour, lotus root powder, dried osmanthus, sugared osmanthus, white sugar, etc. with osmanthus water (dry osmanthus and water are boiled for 5 minutes at a ratio of 1:50) and stir evenly to make osmanthus lotus root paste. Put it into the mold about 80% full, vibrate slightly to let the bubbles escape, steam it on high heat for 20 minutes and cool it. Remove the cake from the mold, mix it with a little glutinous rice flour (fry it on low heat until it turns slightly yellow), and you will get the finished osmanthus lotus root cake.

The best ratio is: 20g lotus root starch, 25g glutinous rice flour, 45g osmanthus water, 2.5g sugar osmanthus, steamed for 20 minutes. [4]

Osmanthus Water Chestnut Rice Cake:

Put water chestnut powder, glutinous rice flour, osmanthus powder, and white sugar into a container and mix evenly. Add water and stir. Knead into a ball and put into the steamer. Steam for 15 minutes after the steam comes on. Knead it after steaming. Add cooking oil while kneading. Knead continuously until the surface is delicate and smooth. Knead into long strips and cut into cylindrical shapes.

The best ratio is: 30g water chestnut powder, 40g glutinous rice flour, 2g osmanthus powder, 8g sugar, 1g cooking oil, steamed for 15 minutes. [5]

Another thing to remind you is that for those who like to drink osmanthus tea, you must pay attention to the water temperature. Too high a temperature will not only lose the nutrients of osmanthus, but also affect the taste, which may be bitter.

Studies have shown that the flavonoids, polyphenols, and anthocyanins content of osmanthus decreases with increasing temperature. The loss rate is lower when the water temperature is 80°C, and the loss rate is highest at 120°C. The bitterness of osmanthus gradually increases with the increase of heating temperature, but the bitterness is not obvious at 80°C, the astringency is the lightest at 100°C, and the astringency is heavier at 120°C; the aroma is stronger at 80°C, the aroma is weakened at 100°C, and the aroma loss is serious at 120°C. [6]

Therefore, if you like to drink osmanthus tea, it is recommended to use water at about 80℃, which will result in less nutrient loss, weaker bitterness and astringency, and a stronger aroma.

How to store osmanthus?

1

Cryopreservation

Fresh osmanthus flowers just picked from the tree, after picking out the bad flowers and impurities, are put into a fresh-keeping bag and sealed. They can be stored in the refrigerator and can be used at any time.

2

Low temperature baking storage

Remove the peduncles and impurities from fresh osmanthus, soak them in clean water for a while, gently wash them, change the water and gently wash them again. Drain the water, or use kitchen paper to gently absorb the water, make sure the osmanthus is dry and free of water, spread them on a baking tray, bake them in the oven at 35℃ for 4 to 5 hours, and turn them over frequently during the baking process. After baking, cool them down and put them in a sealed container for refrigeration.

3

Natural drying storage

For those who don’t have the patience to bake at low temperatures, you can also let the fresh osmanthus flowers dry naturally.

After removing impurities, you can put the fresh osmanthus flowers in a cool, dry and ventilated place, turn them frequently, and store them in a sealed jar after they are completely dried. If they are dried directly in the sun, the aromatic oil in the petals will be lost in large quantities, the fragrance will be greatly reduced, and they may even become flower residues without fragrance.

4

Pickling

Use sugar or salt to preserve. After removing impurities, small insects, and pedicels from fresh osmanthus, soak them in light salt water for 20 minutes, take them out and drain the water, prepare a clean and suitable-sized glass bottle, put a layer of sugar, a layer of osmanthus on it, and fill the last layer with white sugar. You can also put 1 spoon of honey on it, seal it and put it in the refrigerator.

Sugar osmanthus. Image source: Xiaohongshu@大不流

However, the osmanthus flowers processed in this way can be described as "sweet" flowers with a high sugar content, so you should eat less!

Finally, here’s a little piece of knowledge: the flower of the osmanthus tree is “osmanthus”, but the bark of the osmanthus tree is not “cassia bark”!

References

[1] Shi Tingting, Yang Xiulian, Wang Lianggui. Research progress on aroma components of osmanthus flowers[J]. Chemistry and Bioengineering, 2014, 31(10): 1-5.

[2] Yang Xiulian, Zhao Fei, Wang Lianggui. Analysis of nutritional components of petals of 25 osmanthus varieties[J]. Journal of Fujian Forestry College, 2014, 34(01): 5-10. DOI: 10.13324/j.cnki.jfcf.2014.01.002.

[3] Yu Leilei, Gao Xuzheng, Su Zilong, et al. Overview of the application and medicinal value of Osmanthus fragrans[J]. Journal of Hubei University of Science and Technology (Medical Edition), 2022, 36(05): 444-448. DOI: 10.16751/j.cnki.2095-4646.2022.05.0444.

[4] Peng Ziyi, Dai Tao. Application research on the ratio of raw materials for osmanthus lotus root cake[J]. Food Safety Guide, 2022(24):140-142+146.DOI:10.16043/j.cnki.cfs.2022.24.021.

[5] Wang Ensheng, Chen Hui, Lü Jing, et al. Research and development of osmanthus and water chestnut flour rice cake[J]. Grain and Food Industry, 2023, 30(05): 24-27+32.

[6] Zhou Jing, Cui Chaolin, Yue Pengwei, et al. Effects of different heat treatment temperatures on edible quality of osmanthus[J]. Food Science, 2023, 44(15): 10-18.

Author: Xue Qingxin, one of the first nutrition instructors of the National Health Commission, and a registered nutritionist in China

Review｜Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center