Woman urges people to eat pesky plants spreading rapidly in US: 'Really tasty'

What looks like backyard weeds to one person could look like a delicious and healthy snack to another.

If your salad is looking for a little sprucing up, you just might be able to find the ingredients in your own garden. 

TikTok forager Cindy Li (@cindydoedee) shared a handy video detailing some of the common weeds that you can eat.

@cindydoedee I found 4 edible weeds and ate them before we got my friend married!!! Have you tried wood sorrel, chickweed, garlic mustard, and dandlion greens before? #foraging #urbanforaging #edibleplants #plantsonthestreetyoucaneat ♬ Vivaldi "Four Seasons" "Spring" - harryfaoki

As the old foraging motto goes: "never munch on a hunch." It is super important that you are 100% certain in your identification of wild plants before you eat them, or you could end up getting sick.

However, videos like Cindy's can be a helpful tool to know what you're looking for.

Li showed four plants that can be found easily: wood sorrel, chickweed, garlic mustard, and dandelion. 

"Really tasty," Li commented about wood sorrel. "I love putting them on salads."

All four of these leaves can make great additions to healthy dishes. Dandelions are super easy to identify, packed with nutrients, and can be transformed into delicious dishes like wilted greens, tea, or soup.

Garlic mustard, in particular, is an invasive species that can outcompete other nearby plants for nutrients and damage the ecosystem. 

"[It] is super invasive, so I never feel bad about eating it," Li explained, taking a bite of the plant. She recommended using it in a pesto, highlighting the complex garlic flavor it can add to a dish.

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By removing invasive species, you can help native species of plants flourish. This creates a more beautiful landscape that pollinators like bees and butterflies absolutely thrive in.

Foraging can be a great way to cut the cost of your groceries and learn more about the natural world as you go. 

"I would love to go foraging with you," one fan wrote on another of Li's videos.

"I'm going to have to try these little clovers," another TikTok user commented, referencing the wood sorrel Cindy recommended.

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