Looking for some delicious and
nutritious weeds to add to your dining table? Put chickweed on your hunting
list. Chickweed or Stellaria media is a very common weed in nature all over the
world. Chickweed is also commonly referred to as ‘snow in the summer’ due to
its little white flowers that bloom from spring through to fall. The fresh
leaves can be used to make a nutritious salad, you can also use them in infused
oils and tinctures. Chickweed has a pleasant taste and has a slightly different
growing season, depending on where you are and what time of year it is, you may
be able to find chickweed on the menu in your local restaurants. It is
important to be able to identify this plant. It is quite slender and doesn’t
grow very tall with leaves that are oval and opposite. The lower the plant, the
longer the stalks and larger the leaves. The flowers of the plant are small and
white.
Chickweed contains many medicinal compounds that offer
various therapeutic benefits, including saponins, flavonoids, coumarins,
triterpenoids, and carboxyl acids. It is also packed with nutrients, such as Vitamin
C, Vitamin D, and B vitamins including vitamin B12. Chickweed also
contains various important minerals including calcium, copper, iron,
phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, zinc, and silica. The saponins it contains help our bodies absorb
nutrients.
According to research, chickweed
helps strengthen the stomach lining and treat stomach ulcers. Some
studies suggested that chickweed can help people to lose weight due to its
diuretic and laxative properties. Chickweed
contains saponins that can help expel excessive phlegm and
mucus and ease breathing issues. Chickweed also contains
coumarin – a compound that can help treat both asthma and lymphedema. When
your lymph system gets congested, more toxins and wastes can accumulate in your
body. A healthy lymphatic system helps improve immune functions. Chickweed
extracts are an excellent circulatory tonic. It has potent anti-inflammatory properties
that help reduce the risk of various conditions, such as cardiovascular
diseases, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and many more.
Here are some amazing health benefits
of chickweed:
- Alleviates respiratory symptoms including a common cold or asthma.
- Speeds up wound healing
- Aids digestion and relieves constipation.
- Relieves skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis.
- Relieves muscle pain and joint pain.
- Promotes weight loss.
- Reduces the histamine level in the body due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
How to include chickweed in your diet?
- Add raw chickweed to your salad or sandwich.
- Lightly sauté chickweed and add it to your dishes.
- Make a sauce or pesto with chickweed.
- Make your nutritious soup and stews by adding chickweed.
- Make your herbal tea with chickweed.
External use
Chickweed can also be applied externally to the skin as part of a poultice or oil to help relieve itching and treat wounds, etc. It can also be used in a poultice or a hot bath to help relieve painful joints due to arthritis or rheumatism, or muscle pain. You can crush up some fresh chickweed leaves and add them directly to the aching joints and painful muscles. Chickweed can be applied topically to soothe irritation caused by rashes and inflammatory conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis. Applying chickweed to wounds can also help speed up healing because of its excellent antiseptic properties. If you infuse the oil with chickweed leaves, allow them to soak overnight, you can then use this oil for topical applications on the body, or you can add it to your bath, which can relieve skin irritation, and reduce pain, and inflammation. You can use infused oil of chickweed to help treat a rash, eczema, or other inflammatory skin conditions. This little weed of truly a healing gift from Mother Nature. What do you think? For more information on nutrition and natural remedies, please visit https://optimalhealthsolutions.ca.
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