Edible Orchids from Forest to Plate: A Review on Nutritional, Functional, and Sustainable Perspectives

Abstract

The family Orchidaceae is one of the most diverse, species-rich, and ecologically specialized groups of flowering plants. While orchids are globally renowned for their ornamental and medicinal value, their role as sources of food and nutraceutical compounds remains under-recognized. This review synthesizes current understanding of wild and cultivated edible orchids, that occupy a distinctive position at the interface of biodiversity conservation, traditional food systems, and emerging nutraceutical markets. Used across Asia, Africa, and parts of the Americas, these species provide dietary energy through complex carbohydrates while also supplying bioactive metabolites with antioxidant, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective functions. However, many edible orchids are undergoing rapid population declines due to overexploitation, habitat loss, climate change, and expanding unregulated trade. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the diversity, functional properties, and ethnobotanical significance of edible orchids, and evaluates various strategies for their sustainable utilization, including cultivation, in vitro propagation, metabolic engineering, and community-based management. An integrative framework is proposed that links conservation biology, ethnobotany, and applied biotechnology to enable sustainable production while safeguarding wild populations.