The United States Department of Agriculture calls purslane, Portulaca oleracea, a noxious weed. That seems a little harsh, given that purslane has been used as food and medicine for thousands of years. If there is any food that fits well Hippocrates' admonition of "Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food," purslane is probably it.
FOOD
Purslane has been used worldwide for thousands of years as food. It is high in vitamins A, B, C, and E; however, purslane's real value lies in its omega-3 fatty acid and magnesium content. There is no greater plant source of omega-3 than purslane. A serving of purslane is comparable to a serving of any oily fish. And it is so high in magnesium--2% by weight. While you can just use it straight from the lawn or sidewalk cracks, if you transplant it to your garden or a pot (probably a better idea since it is pretty invasive), it will really thrive, producing much more prolifically and being much tastier as well.
Use purslane fresh in salads or juice, or boil or steam it for ten minutes like other vegetables. Do not overcook, or it will become slimy. If using in soups, chop the leaves very finely and add at the end of cooking to preserve vitamin content and flavor. Purslane is also used to thicken soups and stews.
Whether for food or medicine, it is usually the leaves and young shoots of purslane that you want to harvest. Seeds also have some limited applications.
MEDICINE
Historically, purslane has been used to treat the following conditions:
- asthma
- fever
- diarrhea and dysentery
- eczema and dermatitis
- worms
- insect bites and stings
- snake bites
- abdominal pain
- headache
- mastitis
- hemorrhoids
- appendicitis
Modern research has shown that purslane works as an alternative to theophylline in treating asthma. It has also been documented to help regulate blood glucose levels in type-2 diabetes.
Fresh sap. Squeeze the fresh sap from purslane leaves and apply directly to insect bites and stings, burns, and eczema.
Tincture. Fill a canning jar 3/4 full with finely chopped fresh purslane. Top with vodka, shake to release air bubbles, and add more vodka if necessary. Replace the lid, shake again, and put jar in a cool, dark place. Shake daily for two months. Strain the liquid into another clean jar. Shake each time before using. Use for the following conditions:
- to lower cholesterol, 1 teaspoon tincture, twice daily.
- for asthma, 1-3 droppersful in water, as needed
- headache
- gout
- sunburn and eczema
- insect bites and stings
Contraindications. Not to be used in pregnancy or nursing. Not to be used by those prone to kidney stones or digestive troubles.
For further reading:
https://www.drugs.com/npp/purslane.html
https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/purslane-herb-benefits.html
http://www.herballegacy.com/Griffiths_Medicinal.html
https://articles.mercola.com/herbs-spices/purslane.aspx
https://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15622/1/Health-Benefits-of-Purslane.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30281177
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5000599/
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2015/925631/
https://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/purslane/
https://www.drugs.com/npp/purslane.html
https://draxe.com/nutrition/herbs/purslane/
9.30.19
I nibble on small shoots every time I weed the garden. Hubby isn't interested in trying it in salad so I rarely bring it inside. Enjoyable reading until the end when kidney stones were mentioned. I do all I can to avoid them, they've been a part of me for 30 years. Drinking herbal or green tea, lemon juice in water, and extra water in general, I've not had one in 33 months. (Yes I count!) But I think I'll keep nibbling a few when I weed, and absorb minute amounts of benefits. Awesome and free "weed"!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of feeding it to chickens also, to add more omega oil to eggs.
You might try a tea made from frog fruit. Around here it grows pretty much the same places as purslane. It’s supposed to prevent kidney stones.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of frog fruit, so I had to go look it up. And now I'm pretty sure I've never seen it, either, though the article did say that it was native to Nevada. I'll have to keep my eyes open for it.
DeleteHave a source of the plant but getting conflicting advice as whether you can feed it to rabbits or not. If we can eat it, why can't the rabbits?
ReplyDelete