Chickweed Benefits – A Miracle Herb To Know!

A photo of a patch of chickweed

Why is it called chickweed?

Because it was used as feed for chickens.

Since I was little, I could tell this plant apart from other so called weeds, and I knew that budgies and other cage-birds love it too! Especially the tiny pretty flowers, the small delicate leaves, and later in the season, the seeds. How come animals instinctively know about the chickweed benefits? They must somehow know what to eat and what not? I wish we would know that too. But instead… we follow our taste buts (e.g. fried food) instead of eating what is healthy…. so we need to discover it now. Read on.

Nutritional facts and history of chickweed

Already centuries ago, chickweed was used in culinary dishes and had many remedy uses, such as reducing inflammation, fighting germs, and to rejuvenate the whole body! Wild common chickweed (I don’t think you can’t buy it anywhere yet) is one of nature’s super foods for overall health and especially for purifying the blood and lymphatic system (removes harmful substances). The way I consume it is in blended drinks (smoothies)… but I don’t use too much (only a handful) since it otherwise may act as a natural laxative (oops). Applied topically it will sooth rashes and itchy skin.

  • Blood and lymph cleanser
  • Supports digestion
  • Skin-soothing qualities

Chickweed is very nutritious! It’s packed with everything our body is longing for. Like wheatgrass, it has it all! It’s high in diverse plant compounds (e.g. phytosterols, tocopherols, triterpene saponins, flavonoids), minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, including calcium, copper, iron, niacin, selenium, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), thiamine as well as vitamin A, D, B complex, C, rutin (a bioflavinoid), potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, silica and beta-carotene.

That is quite a lot for such a diminutive plant! In comparison, with spinach and other leafy greens, chickweed holds up extremely well.

How to identify chickweed

Chickweed (Stellaria media) is an annual herb that grows in pairs low to the ground up to 8inches (20cm) tall and 1ft (30cm) wide. Its stems often lie along the ground. It grows in moist soils with partial sunlight in lawns, pastures, and cultivated fields. It is also found everywhere from coastal cliffs to gardens, farmyards to roadside verges. “Stellaria” comes from the Latin word stella, “star” and “media” is Latin for “medium”… referring to the flower and size of the plant. Look closely, it has such pretty but tiny white star-shaped flowers! It’s been found in North America and Europe often blooming throughout many months from February to December. Like so many other plants, chickweed is self-pollinating. The seeds survive the cold and reseed themselves every year.

What to do with chickweed?

A glass full of juice with chickweed in the background

Consume it! It’s free! A fresh pressed juice is probably the most beneficial way to consume this wild edible.

As I have mentioned above, I am putting a handful of chickweed to my banana plus a “choice of fruit” into my blender. Unfortunately, the earthy taste is pretty overwhelming… what might be due to the stems I put in. So please, take the leaves and the flowers but not the stem! Another option is to put it into your green salad or simply juice them whole. But remember to dilute it with other green leafy vegetables, e.g. with cucumbers or celery.

Is it dangerous?

No! It is said in very large quantities, this seemingly innocent plant is somewhat toxic, but symptoms are not well documented. Due to its high amount of saponins, some people may experience an upset stomach. Do you know there are different kinds of chickweed out there? They are actually pretty easy to distinguish once you know. Some variations are said to be really toxic for horses… and cows… who would have thought? Despite being registered as being toxic in excessive quantities, chickweed is not banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Nevertheless, it is always important to know what to consume. Identifying wild plants is sometimes tricky (like mushrooms) and you need to do some research beforehand. Just note, chickweed is known to grow by some poisonous varieties.

Enjoy the chickweed benefits

Whatever plant is in its natural state (not cultivated in any way) has much greater concentrated nutritional components over cultivated or hybridized vegetables and fruits. So go out and shop in “nature’s produce section”! Picture that… all those free plants possess a vigorous and hardy nature…. they don’t require the care of us humans to thrive. They have quite resilient qualities… we only shall benefit from it, don’t you think? Foraging for wild foods is fun and gets us outside with the whole family. And the best… I hope we never will be in the need of it… it’s a great emergency survival food…

 

 

Dandelion Greens Health Benefits – A Fabulous Wild Plant!

A bunch of Dandelion Greens

Why dandelion greens?

Have you ever put up a fight with your dandelion in your front yard? They are pretty stubborn. As if they would tell you… don’t kill me… eat me instead! But had you listen? There is so much to learn about this marvelous crop. Most greens we can buy at the super market are cultured for a very long time. Their properties have changed and under the microscope they don’t contain as many nutrients anymore. Wild plants in the contrary, not alternated by mankind still have everything the nature has to offer (as long as you harvest them at the right place). Dandelions greens health benefits will astound you and you will wonder why you haven’t incorporated them in your weekly health routine long ago.

Nutritional facts and history of dandelion greens

What is the difference between dandelion greens and dandelion leaves? Nothing! It’s the same! In this article, I will mainly refer to the greens even though the whole plant can be eaten (stems, leaves (greens), roots and flowers). The leaves are very rich in vitamin K (good for the blood and the bones) and vitamin A (good for the eye and the immune system)… to name a few benefits… but please read on…

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is well-known for its healing properties since ancient times. Not so much in our days, so it seems. North Americans rather consider it a weed which needs eradication. Maybe so because it isn’t native? Among many other herbal medicine plants, early European settlers must have valued them so much they brought them over (hahaha, maybe as early as on the Mayflower). Nowadays, they bloom everywhere but in Antarctica. Dandelion greens, roots and flowers are beneficial for cleaning the liver, to boost the immune system and to lower cholesterol levels. ‘Taraxacum officinale’ comes from the Greek and means ‘bitter herb’. The name dandelion comes from the French “dents de lion” (teeth of the lion) due to the shape of the leaf.

  • Cleanses the liver
  • Boosts the immune system
  • Reduces inflammation in the body

Dandelions leaves are a super food with more beta-carotene than carrots! The leaves are high in vitamin A which is critical for maintaining healthy eyesight. They compete with kale and collards for their rich vitamins and minerals, also beat out spinach in terms of protein, vitamins A, C, K, Omega 6, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Their taste is similar to collard greens but with a more bitter flavor. In general, dandelion’s healing properties center primarily around the digestive organs and by encouraging the production of stomach juices. Dandelion greens are also a rich source of chlorophyll which helps to purify the blood.

When is the best time to harvest?

Dandelion greens are one of the first signs of spring and show up as soon as the snow melts. If you are going to use them raw (like me)… hurry to harvest as many as you can early in the season (take a scissor with you). The window for the young, tender and mild leaves of the plant are short. They are not as bitter as the more mature leaves later in the year. But bitter is good. Harvest them young, when they look alive and vital… long before the flowers appear and the plant goes to seed. If you are going to harvest them later… you still can cook them… which will destroy all bitterness (and unfortunately all vitamins too). If you have kids, take them with you! They love to harvest with you! My boy (9) did it even on his own to surprise me. So cute! Interestingly, when you wait until late fall and for some hard frosts… the leaves will lose all bitterness.

Never harvest dandelions near roadways, where they soak up fumes, or from any location where chemical sprays (weed killers) may be used. The roots are at its best when the plant is blooming and all the energy is still stored.

Not keen in picking weed…. nowadays well stocked health stores or the farmers market carry dandelion greens year round. These dandelions are primarily grown in green houses sowed throughout the year so that the leaves never become too bitter. Look for leaves in dark green color, without blemish, not wilted, and not enormous.

What to do with dandelion greens?

child blows dandelion

I juice them with whatever I have on hand. It could be with apple, celery, cilantro, cucumber, dill, lemon, turmeric, ginger, and any other dark leafy greens on hand. Another way is to add fresh or frozen dandelion to a smoothie. Having them mixed in a green salad is also a great way. Always wash them fully immersed in water. An added dash of vinegar will help to get rid of any bugs. When in season, make sure to collect enough to freeze them in small portions for the long winter (that’s what we have here in Canada). And here is another fun idea… use the stem as a biodegradable straw!

The other option is to cook them and use them in various dishes. The internet is full of recipes. They are really nice in stews. One tasty recipe is to sauté some garlic in olive oil, add the chopped green leaves, and finish off with some soy sauce. After about 10 min in the pan, add some fresh lemon juice and enjoy.

Enjoy the dandelion greens health benefits!

Dandelions are a perfect health plant with so many benefits while being a so called “free weed”! Go for it! See it as another way to get rid of it on your lawn. Hahahah. Eat or freeze it! A tip… while letting them soak for a night in water, I feel that this helps to get rid of the bitterness a bit more. You need to watch out for the amount you are putting into your smoothie. Kids might be turned off by its bitter taste very quickly. Camouflage the flavour with bananas, blueberries, or pine apple. For a healthier life… you have to do what you need to do!

A field of dandelion

Health Benefit of Wheatgrass – Nurturing The Whole Body!

Have you ever tried a wheatgrass shot?

No? You better should! No matter the distinctive taste! Some love it… for some, it is an acquired taste! Consider, there are many things in life we don’t like! But the health benefit of wheatgrass far outweigh the discomforts we have to endure. Really?… Yes! Nurturing the whole body is the goal – no matter what (… just mix it with apple or any other raw juice and enjoy your shot of health).

Nutritional facts and history of wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is nature’s blood!

The “wheatgrass” everyone is talking about is the young wheat plant. That’s right, it’s the same plant we grow to make bread. Barley, oats, and rye all come from the same family. It’s been harvested 7-10 days after sprouting.

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) contains a full range of almost everything nature has to offer. That’s basically all you need to know. It’s full of antioxidants, amino acids, carotenoids, chlorophyll, enzymes, essential fatty acids, minerals, phytonutrients, proteins, and vitamins. You name it… wheatgrass has it! Furthermore, researchers also identified benefits that couldn’t be associated with these known nutrients. Wheatgrass contains about 70% of chlorophyll which opens the cell to let in all the other nutrients. Wheatgrass enters the bloodstream immediately after consumption. It cleans the whole body, the blood, and the liver, and detoxify heavy metals and environmental pollutants. As a food, wheatgrass is very nourishing and restorative that it could sustain life by itself. “Wheatgrass juice is the nectar of rejuvenation, the plasma of youth, the blood of all life. The elements that are missing in your body’s cells – especially enzymes, vitamins, hormones, and nucleic acids can be obtained through this daily green sunlight transfusion.” ~Viktoras Kulvinskas

  • Purifies the blood
  • Detoxifies the liver
  • Cleanses the colon

In the 1930s, 40s, and 50s scientists such as the agricultural chemist Dr. Charles F. Schnabel (The father of wheatgrass!) and colleagues, as well as Dr. Ann Wigmore, undertook a series of studies with grass. Dr. Schnabel dreamed to see grass as a supplement to the American diet. From his experiments with animals and in the laboratory he knew it would boost our nutrition, build good blood, and strengthen our immunity against disease. Dr. Ann Wigmore, a naturopath and alternative medicine advocates like Viktoras Kulvinskas and Herbert Shelton, healed herself from colon cancer at about the age of 50 by consuming wild greens. She came to the conclusion that wheatgrass was the best source of them all. Later, she co-founded the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston and helped thousands of people gain vibrant health through her living food program. Read her book “Wheatgrass Nature’s Finest Medicine by Steve Meyerowitz” for the whole story. Her legacy continues at the Ann Wigmore Foundation in San Fidel, New Mexico.

5 steps to grow excellent wheatgrass

These steps I once adapted from the Hippocrates Health Institute itself. Firstly, you will need quality seeds such as Red Hard Winter Wheat Berries. Secondly, germinate them by placing 1cup in a mason jar and let them soak for 8hrs at room temperature (overnight). Replace the lid with a sieve-like lid (sprouting lid) and drain. Rinse 3 times 12hrs apart until the seeds develop little nubs on one side while leaving them always on a 45-degree angle to drain (1.5 days). These nubs are the roots and the seeds are now the perfect stage for planting. Thirdly, put a thin layer of 1/2inch of organic potting mix (soil) into a tray with holes in the bottom. This allows the soil to drain properly. Press the soil lightly down (you could use another empty tray for that). Fourthly, moist it heavily with a misting spray bottle. Finally, distribute the germinated seeds evenly over the flat soil. Don’t press them down and don’t cover them with soil but mist heavy again! Water twice (pour water through a sprouting lid) a day for a total of seven days. After day 7, you can harvest it with a knife or scissors just above the soil when it reaches the jointing stage. The jointing stage is a botanical term for when the plant is graduating from a baby to an adult. This is when it’s most nutritious, tender, and sweetest. Indoors is the best way to grow wheatgrass with plenty of indirect sunlight or full-spectrum artificial light (but no direct sunlight, ever).

Here, again in point form:

  1. 1 cup of Red Hard Winter Wheat Berries
  2. Soak for 8hrs, rinse 3 times 12hrs apart, leave it on a 45-degree angle to drain, watch for the little roots
  3. Fill the tray with 1/2inch of soil, press it down, distribute seeds evenly, don’t cover seeds with soil
  4. Moist the surface of the soil heavy with a misting bottle.
  5. Distribute the seeds loosely over the moist soil in one layer, mist again, water twice a day for 7 days

What to do with wheatgrass?

wheatgrass half cut

You juice it. Or at least that’s what I do. It’s like having your daily portions of fruit and vegetables in one glass. Juicing breaks down the indigestible cellulose and is the best way to extract its powerful nutrients. But you also can buy wheatgrass powder or pills. I don’t drink it every day. Mostly, I am juicing a batch of 4-5 liter bottles of mixed ingredients and freeze them all but one. So I have a good supply for about 2 weeks.

Chlorophyll is a great detoxifier… but be careful… it’s so much more intense than other fruit and vegetable juices. It cleanses the intestinal tract and might act as a laxative if you consume too much. They say, drink wheatgrass on an empty stomach and let it be digested for at least half an hour before eating. Start by drinking 1oz (30ml) and increase to 6-10oz of juice a day (Dr. SchnabeI’s recommendation). I prefer to juice it with spinach, lemons, turmeric, cucumbers, and apples. This way the taste is toned down and I am sure the benefits still outweigh any fast food drinks I could have consumed at the same time… even though I did not follow the strict protocol of some who suggest to drink it just by itself.

Enjoy the health benefit of wheatgrass!

That’s what I am saying. Since our everyday standard diet undernourishes… the goal is to incorporate healthy bites and juices whenever possible for the whole family. True health nuts can be stricter… why not? Originally, wheatgrass was taken by terminally ill patients in the eleventh hour of their life after conventional medicine has left them without hope. Why do you want to wait for that? Take it as prevention, as part of your health maintenance program. My goal is to have it palatable for everyone in my family and especially for the busy schedule of a mom (me). Miracles will happen!