3 weeds in your yard that you probably didn't know were good for you.
Earlier this year I waited in excited anticipation for those yellow Dandelion blooms to start popping up. Why? Because I learned how incredibly nutrient dense & medicinally good those darned weeds are. So once those little buggers started coming up, I was out there picking as many blooms as my legs & butt would allow ... Yes, I woke up the next day barely able to walk I was so sore from bending over. Heh. Next time I'll have a contraption my husband is working on so I can pick the blooms without bending over. My neighbors probably think I've gone cuckoo in the head!
Dandelion herb contains notable nutrients and is a great source of nutrition during winter time.
This backyard herb provides (%of RDA/100g)-9% of dietary fiber, 19% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), 20% of Riboflavin,58% of vitamin C, 338% of vitamin A, 649% of vitamin K, 39% of iron and 19% of calcium. (Note: RDA-Recommended daily allowance)
The blooms have pain-relieving properties, which work wonders when infused in oil and either used as is or made into a salve. You can also eat them for their other health benefits.
The leaves are rich in vitamins & minerals. It can be used as a urinary tonic, relieving water retention without depleting the body as pharmaceutical diuretics do. The leaves can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked, brewed as a tea or made into a tincture.
The roots have long been used to treat liver disease, jaundice, hepatitis, gall-bladder infections, and to dissolve gallstones. It can ease PMS (woot!), headaches, skin problems and other ailments that indicate a sluggish liver. It's also used as a mild laxative. Increases insulin secretion, helping with diabetes & hypoglycemia.
Be forewarned tho, both the leaf and root are bitter, but amazingly good for you!
I plan on making 3 things with my Dandelions.
This is one weed I can't wait to see pop up in our yard!
Here's the wonderful benefits of Plantain:
Like Dandelions, Plantain is rich in Magnesium, vitamins A, C & K.
The leaves when made into a poultice or lotion/salve are used for treating sunburns, stings, insect bites, snakebites, poison ivy, rashes, burns, skin conditions like eczema, blisters and cuts.
Also, the leaves have also been heated and applied topically to swollen joints, sore muscles, sprains and sore feet. Interestingly enough, Plantain is a common folk remedy in many parts of Latin America for treating Cancer. It's also been used to treat sore throats, coughs, bronchitis, tuberculosis and mouth sores.
Studies have also shown that Plantain has anti-inflammatory effects, and it is also rich in Tannin (which helps draw tissues together to stop bleeding) and Allantoin (a compound that promotes healing of injured skin cells).
Further studies have indicated that Plantain may also reduce blood pressure, and that the seeds of the plant may reduce blood cholesterol levels. The seeds were also widely used as a natural laxative, given their high source of fiber. Teas made from the plant were used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal worms and bleeding mucous membranes. The roots were also recommended for relieving toothaches and headaches as well as healing poor gums!
I plan on making my own "Neosporin" with Plantain as the winning ingredient, and also adding Lavender & Rosemary for their healing benefits. Here's the recipe I plan on using as a guide. I've already got mine dehydrating for a longer shelf life.
NOTE: Plantain is good for injuries because of its coagulating properties, but those with blood disorders or prone to blood clots should not use Plantain internally.
Disclaimer: If harvesting these plants yourself, make sure to get them from an area that has not been sprayed with any chemicals or pesticides, or by busy roadways. Make sure that you have correctly identified the plant before consuming! This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Dandelion
This backyard herb provides (%of RDA/100g)-9% of dietary fiber, 19% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), 20% of Riboflavin,58% of vitamin C, 338% of vitamin A, 649% of vitamin K, 39% of iron and 19% of calcium. (Note: RDA-Recommended daily allowance)
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| I picked 2 grocery bags full. |
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| Dehydrating the blooms some, so I could easily separate the yellow petals from rest of the bloom for jelly. |
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| Prepping the whole plant to be made into a Tincture. |
Be forewarned tho, both the leaf and root are bitter, but amazingly good for you!
I plan on making 3 things with my Dandelions.
- Jelly. You can find the recipe (here). They say it tastes like honey.
- Dandelion bloom salve. Recipe (here). I've read that the infused oil has anti-inflammatory properties and can help ease the pain of arthritic joints.
- Dandelion root tincture. Recipe (here).
Purslane.
I think I slapped myself a few times over this herb/weed, because last year I dug up a TON of this stuff not realizing that it has more Omega-3 fatty acids than in some fish oils! It's low in calories and fats; very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C and some B-complex vitamins, as well as dietary minerals, such as Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Manganese.This is one weed I can't wait to see pop up in our yard!
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| This is a google picture of Common Purslane. |
Plantain
This weed/herb saved me from the insufferable itchy whelps of Poison Ivy. When an itchy whelp started to come up on my arm (I guess I wasn't as careful as I thought doing yard work) I remembered reading about this weed only 2 days before. So out I went to see if I could find some ... I knew we had some in our yard, I just didn't realize how MUCH we had! I brought some of the leaves inside, rinsed and dried them, made a poultice with olive oil and put that onto my itchy whelp. Within just a few minutes the itching had stopped and by the next day there were NO signs that I ever had an itchy whelp! Woot!Here's the wonderful benefits of Plantain:
Like Dandelions, Plantain is rich in Magnesium, vitamins A, C & K.
The leaves when made into a poultice or lotion/salve are used for treating sunburns, stings, insect bites, snakebites, poison ivy, rashes, burns, skin conditions like eczema, blisters and cuts.
Also, the leaves have also been heated and applied topically to swollen joints, sore muscles, sprains and sore feet. Interestingly enough, Plantain is a common folk remedy in many parts of Latin America for treating Cancer. It's also been used to treat sore throats, coughs, bronchitis, tuberculosis and mouth sores.
Studies have also shown that Plantain has anti-inflammatory effects, and it is also rich in Tannin (which helps draw tissues together to stop bleeding) and Allantoin (a compound that promotes healing of injured skin cells).
Further studies have indicated that Plantain may also reduce blood pressure, and that the seeds of the plant may reduce blood cholesterol levels. The seeds were also widely used as a natural laxative, given their high source of fiber. Teas made from the plant were used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal worms and bleeding mucous membranes. The roots were also recommended for relieving toothaches and headaches as well as healing poor gums!
I plan on making my own "Neosporin" with Plantain as the winning ingredient, and also adding Lavender & Rosemary for their healing benefits. Here's the recipe I plan on using as a guide. I've already got mine dehydrating for a longer shelf life.
NOTE: Plantain is good for injuries because of its coagulating properties, but those with blood disorders or prone to blood clots should not use Plantain internally.
Now do you feel better about having these weeds in your yard? I know I do!
Disclaimer: If harvesting these plants yourself, make sure to get them from an area that has not been sprayed with any chemicals or pesticides, or by busy roadways. Make sure that you have correctly identified the plant before consuming! This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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