Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are the furled fronds of a young Ostrich Fern, harvested for use as a vegetable.

Special Precautions of Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads should not be eaten raw. Although they are very nutritious, even cooked it is best not to eat too many because they can be mildly toxic when consumed in excess.
Fiddleheads may harbour microbes, and should be washed and cooked before eating.
Many ferns also contain the enzyme thiaminase, which breaks down thiamine. This can lead to beriberi and other vitamin B complex deficiencies if consumed to excess or if one's diet is lacking in these vitamins.
Further, there is some evidence that certain varieties of fiddleheads, e.g. bracken (Pteridium genus), are carcinogenic. It is recommended to fully cook fiddleheads to destroy the shikimic acid. Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is not thought to cause cancer, although there is evidence it contains a toxin unidentified as yet
If we are harvesting fiddleheads ourselves, it is important not to harvestmore than two or three fiddleheads per fernbecause they only produce a limited number of leaves and harvesting to many of them will stress out, or even kill the plant.

contain various vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
They are a source of antioxidants and dietary fibre.
They are low in sodium, but rich in potassium, which may make them suitable for people who need a low-sodium diet

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