Drastic cases call for drastic measures. If you ever find yourself in the middle of nature, lost for months and without food, you need to find a way to feed yourself. You can survive for at least a month on water alone, you will lose about 9 kilos. However, this is not a diet as soon as you start eating again, you will probably put your weight back on. If you're well prepared and know the area, you shouldn't have a problem finding edible plants, but if you're dying, and can't otherwise determine if a plant is edible or not, follow these instructions to figure out if it is.
Steps
Step 1. Avoid having to use this method without careful planning
Some plants are deadly, even if you follow these instructions perfectly, there is always a chance that a plant will make you really sick. Prepare for outdoor excursions by studying the local flora and fauna, and bring a book or something else to recognize the plants. Even if you are unprepared and cannot find safe food to eat, remember that, depending on your level of activity, the human body can go days without eating, and you are better off hungry than poisoned.
Step 2. Find a plant that is in abundance
There is no need to go through the whole process to see if it is edible if there is not enough to eat.
Step 3. Refrain from eating or drinking anything other than purified water for 8 hours before testing
In any case, if you have to use this method, this step is quite unavoidable.
Step 4. Separate the plant into different parts
Some have edible parts and poisonous parts. To test whether a plant is edible, you actually want to check if a part (leaves, stem or roots) of a plant type is edible. After dividing the plant into parts, check each part to see if there are any pests. If you find worms or other insects inside, end the test with that sample and look for another of the same plant. Worms, parasites or other insects indicate that the plant is rotten, especially if the organism is gone. Many plant parts are only edible during certain seasons (for example, acorns harvested after autumn are usually rotten). If you find larvae in the plant, it is rotting, but the larvae are edible and contain a lot of protein (even if they are acidic and grainy).
Step 5. Find out if the plant is poisonous to contact
It is a plant that causes a reaction to just contact with your skin. Rub your chosen plant on your forearm or wrist. Squeeze it so that the sap touches your skin, and soak it there for 15 minutes. If the plant causes a reaction within 8 hours, do not continue with testing that part of the plant..
Step 6. Prepare a small portion of the plant part
Some plants are poisonous only raw, so it is best to cook the parts you are testing if possible. If you can't do it and you think you won't be able to do it in the future, test it raw.
Step 7. Hold the prepared portion of the plant part on the lip for 3 minutes
Do not put it in your mouth. If you notice burns, tickles or other reactions, stop the test immediately.
Step 8. Place another small portion of the plant part on the tongue
Keep it there without chewing for 15 minutes. Stop the test if you notice any reaction.
Step 9. Chew the plant and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes
Chew it well, without swallowing. Stop the test if you notice any reactions.
Step 10. Swallow the small part of the plant
Step 11. Wait 8 hours
Do not eat or drink anything during this time other than purified water. If you feel unwell, try to throw up right away and drink plenty of water. If you have activated charcoal available, take it with water. Stop the test if you have any adverse reactions.
Step 12. Eat 1/4 cup of the same part of the plant prepared in the same way
It is essential that you use the same part of the exact same plant, and that you prepare it the same way you prepared the first sample.
Step 13. Wait another 8 hours
Avoid any food, purified water only. Induce vomiting immediately if you feel sick. If there have been no reactions, you can conclude that only that particular part of the plant is edible, and only prepared as during the test.
Step 14. Start a new test if the plant part you have chosen fails any of the tests
If the first part you chose is poisonous on contact, you can immediately test another plant on the other arm or behind the knee. If the plant causes a reaction before swallowing it, wait until the symptoms have passed before taking another test. If you have a negative reaction after swallowing the plant, wait for the symptoms to pass before taking a new test. Although there may be
edible parts in the plant you have chosen, it is best to switch to another pinata for the next tests.
Method 1 of 1: Alternative Method
If you are in a situation where you have access to other safe food sources, you can incorporate this test into your diet by dividing it into 3 phases, using your normal 8 hours of sleep as the 8 hours pre-test required at each phase. Again, only use this system in a survival situation (e.g. your supplies are running out, and you need to test another food source before the current one runs out) or if you don't find information about a plant and are willing to deal with the risks (poisoning and death) that this entails.
Step 1. Wake up and do the poison contact part of the test
After 8 hours, have a normal meal ("not" of the plant under test).
Step 2. The next morning, complete the test until you swallow a single piece
After 8 hours, assuming you are alive and well, have a normal meal.
Step 3. Eat the entire sample of the plant under test on the third morning
After 8 hours, celebrate being alive and finding a new edible plant by eating a good meal.
Step 4. Do not skip any steps or advice, or warnings; this alternative method only serves to save your body from the stress of 24 hours of fasting, and allows you to continue testing new plants in your area without being without food for more than 16 hours a day, and only 8 hours on the last day, assuming that 1/4 cup of that food is enough to support you
Advice
- Peel ripe tropical fruits and eat them raw. If you have to eat them unripe, cook them first. Follow all the steps listed for these fruits, unless you know the plant is edible
- Always cook underground parts of plants if possible to kill bacteria and fungi
- Clumped berries (such as raspberries and blackberries) are usually safe to eat. (Although in areas where blackberries are considered pests, they may have been sprayed with pesticides). One exception to note is a white berry that only grows in Alaska.
- If you see an animal eating a plant, don't think it's edible for humans. Some things that are poisonous to us have no effect on animals.
- The instructions in this article, particularly in the warnings section, may exclude some edible plants, but warnings are included to help you avoid some of the more common poisonous plants.
- Avoid plant bulbs unless they have the familiar smell of onion or garlic.
Warnings
- Avoid plants with milky sap (you shouldn't eat dandelion stems, but all other parts are edible)
- Avoid mushrooms. Many are edible, but many others are deadly, and if you're not an expert it's hard to tell them apart even after you've tested one.
- Once you have established that a plant is edible, be careful to always harvest the same plant. Many look alike.
- Before starting with the unfamiliar plants, look around to see if there is anything else you can eat, such as coconut, meat, fish or other things. If you don't find anything edible, be cautious about testing plants / berries.
- Avoid plants with umbrella flowers.
- In general, avoid thorns and quills. If such a plant produces clumped berries, the berries can be eaten. Other exceptions include thistles and prickly pears.
- Testing plants can be dangerous. These steps should only be tried in extreme emergency situations.
- Do not eat plants that have been penetrated by worms, insects or parasites
- Avoid plants with shiny leaves.
- Avoid plants with yellow, white or red berries.
- Don't think a plant is edible because you've seen an animal eat it.
- Avoid holly berries which are red and juicy, they are highly toxic except to birds.
- Do not eat the kernel of almonds or peaches, it contains small amounts of cyanide.
