A Cross-continental Survey of Traditional Food Systems That Are Based on Wild Food Plants

Abstract

Food systems comprising items derived from local or indigenous and naturally available sources were followed by the human race all over the world. Such traditional food systems (TFS) are generally linked with specific communities and hence are known as the reflection of their culture and symbols of their heritage. The utilization of a food crop and preparation of dishes would not always be similar all over the world, and it depends on various factors such as traditional knowledge and food habits of the communities. Different communities may utilize different edible parts of the same plant, follow different preparation methods, and products may be entirely different in look and taste. Some traditional food crops may be only consumed in a small region or by one or a few communities. In Africa, Asia, and South America, wide diversity of wild traditional food plants, which were part of traditional food systems is found. This diet combination included root and tuber vegetables, cereals, leafy vegetables, pulses, seeds, fruits, tree barks, beverages, and many other plant foods. Healthy and nutritious food were one of the necessary needs humans ever demanded. Indigenous people of various regions in the world faced many challenges in their community history, such as food shortage, nutritional insecurity, crop failure, malnutrition, natural disasters, unfavorable weather patterns, and hunger. They developed a diverse, nutritional, and multipotential dietary system by integrating local food items to ensure their food security for the large populations. Food systems reflect the environmental specialties of the dwelling places; the locally available food crops or traditionally cultivated wild food crops were most apt for the existing climate conditions. In many parts of the world where climatic and edaphic conditions were very challenging for agriculture, many of the crops which were part of TFS were cultivated or naturally grown. They nourished and sustained the people over generations. This chapter summarises traditional food systems based on wild food plants from across the globe that are based on wild food plants. It also discusses the preparation, significance and medicinal importance of some of the traditional foods prepared from wild food plants.