Calendula flowers, marigolds in the aster family, serve as a popular home remedy for several inflammatory conditions. Calendula's medical benefits have been traced to various antioxidants and carotenoids, a class of chemicals that includes vitamin A, says Lance Gregner, agricultural specialist with Natural Sustainable Agriculture, in the November, 2004 edition of "Edible Flowers." Vitamin C and a vitamin E-like substance are also found in these flowers.
Vitamin C
Many flowers contain ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C. Gregner lists marigolds among the flowers with a high content. The amount of vitamin C varies with different cultivars, growing conditions and the amount you add to your diet, but it is comparable to the vitamin C content of roses and rose hips, well known among edible flower growers for vitamin C content comparable to many fruits. The pleasant, peppery flavor of marigolds make as inviting addition to tossed salads and as a garnish for meats and vegetables. Marigold flowers are also calorie-free.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, among the class of bright orange plant compounds known as carotenoids, so called because of their colorful presence in carrots, is also the main coloring agent in marigolds and the plant's extracts. These compounds provide potent antioxidant qualities to the foods that contain vitamin A and its chemical relatives. According to Dr. Tamara Frankic, a nutritionist at the Zootechnical Department of the University of Ljubljana, in Slovenia, carotenoids, in combination with other compounds in marigold extracts, provide substantial protection against oxidative stress and dietary poly-unsaturated fats. Frankic's studies focus on protection of animals raised for human consumption but extends the findings to probable, comparable benefits in human diets. European researchers reporting in "Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology," in May 1, 2010, confirm this observation and document an anti-inflammatory effect related to antioxidant activity.
Vitamin E-like Substances
Frankic's studies do not name vitamin E as a constituent of calendula extracts, but the powerful antioxidents in calendula extract are documented to compare favorably with vitamin E, and in some cases exceed the well-known antioxidant power of vitamin E, which was used as the standard for antioxidant activity in the animal studies.
Disclaimer
Be careful what flowers you eat, say floral specialists with Flowers Canada, and Mary Jane Frogge, with the University of Nebraska Extension, in a 2010 publication, "Edible Flowers Guide." Calendula, whether grown commercially as decorative marigolds for floral arrangements or picked at a roadside, may contain toxic agricultural chemicals, pesticide residues or roadside pollutants. Only extracts of organically cultivated or home-grown calendula should be considered. Medline Plus warns that insufficient evidence exists for such curative properties of calendula extract as claimed by some traditional practitioners in cancer care and in treatment of heart disease. Consult your doctor before using calendula extract to treat any medical condition.
References
- The Free Library: Calendula Extract: Promising Botanical Antioxidant for Farm Animals
- National Library of Medicine: Calendula
- Horizon Herbs: Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Seed Information
- HighBeam: Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Burr Marigold
- Flowers Canada: Edible Flowers As Delicious As They Are Beautiful
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