Are nasturtiums edible? Exploring the nutritional benefits and culinary uses

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

Nasturtium leaves contain up to 10 times more vitamin C than lettuce, making these colorful garden flowers a potent and delicious addition to your diet. If you've ever wondered, 'Are nasturtiums edible?', the answer is a resounding yes, and they offer much more than just a pretty garnish.

Quick Summary

This article details the edibility of nasturtiums, including their leaves, flowers, seeds, and stems. It covers their nutritional value, health benefits, and creative culinary applications, while also addressing necessary precautions for safe consumption.

Key Points

All Parts Edible: The flowers, leaves, seeds, and stems of nasturtiums can all be safely consumed and offer a distinct peppery flavor.
Nutrient-Rich: Nasturtiums are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and vital minerals like iron and zinc.
Natural Antimicrobial: The plant's compounds can act as a natural antibiotic, helping to fight respiratory and urinary tract infections.
Versatile Culinary Uses: From pesto and salads to pickled 'capers,' nasturtiums can be used in many creative ways to add flavor and color to your cooking.
Grow Your Own: To ensure safety from pesticides, it's best to grow your own nasturtiums, which thrive in poor, well-draining soil.
Precautions Advised: Avoid consumption if pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from kidney disease or ulcers, and practice moderation to prevent side effects.

The Surprising Truth About Nasturtiums

For many, nasturtiums are simply a beautiful and easy-to-grow annual flower, prized for its vibrant colors and lily pad-like leaves. However, the entire nasturtium plant is a versatile culinary ingredient, from its peppery flowers and leaves to its seeds and stems. The flavor is often described as a spicy, mustard-like kick, similar to arugula or watercress, and varies in intensity depending on the plant part and growing conditions. The key to safe consumption is ensuring the plants have been grown without pesticides or other harmful chemicals, which is why many home gardeners prefer to grow their own.

Nasturtium's Impressive Nutritional Profile

Beyond their flavor, nasturtiums are also a source of key nutrients, making them a healthy addition to a balanced diet. They are a significant source of vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall wellness.

Vitamin C: Nasturtiums are exceptionally high in Vitamin C, which is essential for immune function, skin health, and wound healing.
Vitamin A: Rich in carotenoids like beta-carotene, nasturtiums contribute to healthy vision and have powerful antioxidant effects.
Minerals: The plant is a good source of essential minerals, including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.
Antioxidants: Nasturtiums contain flavonoids and other antioxidants that help protect the body's cells from oxidative stress and may offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses

Nasturtiums have a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly for their antiseptic, antibacterial, and immune-supporting properties.

Natural Antibiotic Properties: The glucosinolates responsible for the peppery taste break down into mustard oils when consumed, which have shown antimicrobial effects against certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This makes them useful for fighting infections, particularly those affecting the respiratory and urinary systems.
Immune System Support: The high vitamin C content, combined with other antioxidants, helps strengthen the immune system, making it more resilient against common ailments like colds and flu.
Respiratory Relief: Acting as an expectorant, nasturtium can help break up mucus and congestion, providing relief for bronchitis and other respiratory issues.

Culinary Versatility of Nasturtium Plant Parts

One of the most exciting aspects of nasturtiums is their culinary flexibility. Every part of the plant can be used to add a unique twist to a variety of dishes. Here are some popular uses:

Leaves: Chop young, tender leaves for salads or use larger leaves as edible wraps, similar to grape leaves. They can also be wilted into soups or stir-fries.
Flowers: The vibrant flowers are perfect for garnishing salads, appetizers, and desserts, adding both color and a mild peppery sweetness.
Pesto: Substitute nasturtium leaves for basil to create a spicy, unique pesto for pasta, bread, or sandwiches.
Pickled Seeds (Poor Man's Capers): Harvest the green, immature seed pods and pickle them in vinegar to create a tangy, peppery condiment that is an excellent alternative to capers.
Infused Vinegar: Infuse the colorful flowers in white vinegar for two weeks to create a beautifully colored and peppery salad dressing base.

Comparison of Nasturtium Plant Parts


Plant Part	Flavor Profile	Culinary Use	Texture	Notes
Flowers	Mildly peppery and slightly sweet, with a delicate floral note.	Garnishes for salads and desserts; infused vinegars and oils.	Delicate, velvety petals.	The color may vary the flavor intensity slightly.
Leaves	Peppery, pungent, and mustard-like. Younger leaves are milder.	Salads, pesto, stir-fries, edible wraps.	Tender to slightly tough, depending on age.	High in Vitamin C; flavor intensifies with age.
Young Seeds	Most intensely peppery and radish-like flavor.	Pickled as a caper substitute.	Firm and crunchy when raw, softened and brined when pickled.	Must be harvested when green and immature.
Stems	Crisp, tender, and peppery.	Chopped like chives for omelets, stir-fries, or compound butters.	Crisp and snappy.	Similar in texture and use to chives.

Growing Nasturtiums for Your Table

Growing nasturtiums for culinary use is straightforward, as they thrive in relatively poor, well-draining soil and full sun. In fact, soil that is too fertile leads to more foliage and fewer flowers. When growing for consumption, always follow these steps:

Plant from Seed: Nasturtiums are very easy to grow directly from seed after the last frost.
Avoid Pesticides: Do not use chemical pesticides on your plants, as you will be eating them.
Harvest Regularly: Regularly harvesting the flowers and leaves encourages more blooms.
Water Moderately: While nasturtiums are somewhat drought-tolerant, consistent watering prevents the foliage from becoming spindly and the flavor from becoming too intense.

Precautions for Safe Consumption

While generally safe for most people, some precautions should be taken when consuming nasturtiums.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: The use of nasturtium is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to insufficient safety information.
Kidney Disease and Ulcers: Individuals with kidney disease or stomach and intestinal ulcers should avoid nasturtiums, as the mustard oils can cause irritation.
Moderation is Key: Excessive consumption of the leaves, and particularly the seeds (due to erucic acid), should be avoided.
Source Your Plants: Always ensure your nasturtiums come from a trusted source, especially if you are not growing them yourself, to guarantee they are free from pesticides and herbicides.

Conclusion

So, are nasturtiums edible? Absolutely. This beautiful and easy-to-grow plant is far more than a simple garden ornamental. From its vitamin-packed leaves to its vibrant, peppery flowers, every part of the nasturtium offers a unique flavor and nutritional benefit to the savvy home cook. By following safe growing and consumption practices, you can enjoy a fresh, spicy ingredient straight from your garden and add a burst of color and flavor to countless dishes. Whether pickled, infused, or simply tossed in a salad, nasturtiums are a rewarding and delicious foray into the world of edible flowers.

For further reading on the medicinal properties of nasturtiums, you can consult studies on their health benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

All parts of the nasturtium plant are edible, including the flowers, leaves, stems, and immature green seeds. Each part offers a different texture and a varying intensity of peppery flavor.

Nasturtiums have a spicy, peppery, or mustard-like flavor, similar to watercress or arugula. The intensity can vary, with the flowers being the mildest and the immature seeds having the strongest kick.

Yes, nasturtium leaves are completely edible. Younger, smaller leaves tend to be more tender and milder in flavor, while larger leaves can be more pungent. They are excellent in salads, sandwiches, or made into pesto.

Yes, nasturtiums offer several health benefits. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and minerals like iron and zinc. They also contain compounds with natural antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that support the immune system.

Yes, the immature green seeds of nasturtiums can be pickled and used as a substitute for capers. Harvest the seeds when they are green and still soft for the best flavor and texture.

No, it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women to consume nasturtiums. There is insufficient research on their safety during this time, and some sources suggest avoiding them to be safe.

While safe in moderation, excessive consumption can cause gastrointestinal or kidney irritation due to the mustard oils. Those with kidney disease or stomach ulcers should avoid them, and always use plants that are pesticide-free.

The safest nasturtiums to eat are those grown in your own garden without pesticides or herbicides. If purchasing, ensure they are specifically labeled as organic and edible. Never forage from roadsides or public areas where they may have been treated with chemicals.