The Food Chain

Stunning cakes, colourful salads and intricate garnishes use flowers to entice customers, but there’s more to this trend than just beautiful social media pictures.

Many cultures around the world have eaten flowers for centuries, and some of them pack a serious punch.

Devina Gupta explores the history of edible flowers and visits a site in the UK where they’re grown all year round. She gets quite a shock when trying one particular variety.

We find out why flowers are used on food nowadays, and how generations of knowledge about their use and properties were lost when they were brought to Western countries.

If you would like to get in touch with the programme, email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Presented by Devina Gupta

Produced by Julia Paul and Beatrice Pickup

(Image: A nasturtium flower growing. Credit: BBC)