Healthy weeds to eat. Tasty and healthy weeds
The word “weed” sounds like a death sentence, but in fact, sometimes plants that don’t deserve it are called that. Few people know that it is easy to find in the yard, garden, orchard, or forest. herbaceous plants that you can eat and still benefit your body. Let's find out what, if desired, you can make a delicious dish from.
1. Watercress
A weed that is sold in stores, but in fact it can be picked absolutely free near the nearest body of water. Watercress is added raw to various salads, which adds piquancy to the dish. It contains vitamins, healthy oils, minerals and alkaloid compounds.
2. Nettle
Another famous weed that many people use in culinary purposes. An example is green cabbage soup, in which nettle leaves are placed instead of sorrel. They must be young and always scalded with boiling water to eliminate the burning effect. In addition, nettle leaves are included in salads and sauces. It is impossible not to mention that since ancient times, nettle has been used in folk medicine, since it has a wide range of beneficial properties.
3. Quinoa
Few people know that quinoa is used to prepare some medicines and for the production of dietary supplements. You can benefit from the weed by eating it, for which you must first remove oxalic acid, which is dangerous to the body. Lemon juice or heat treatment will do the job well. Scientists have determined that the weed is even healthier than the more familiar sorrel, recipes for which can also be used to prepare quinoa.
4. Thistle
This plant is popularly called burdock, and many are familiar with it for its sharp spines. In fact, thistle is edible and tasty, and if necessary, it will help cope with hunger and get a boost of vitamins. The leaves need to be cut and cleared of thorns, then cut into pieces and boiled in salted water to form an edible soup.
5. Dandelion
From the beautiful and fragrant flower You can not only weave wreaths, but also use it for food. One of the most popular dandelion treats is jam. The leaves of this plant can be used in salad recipes. It is important to consider that when the plant ripens, it acquires a bitter taste, so it should be collected in early spring, when the leaves are young and tender. As for the benefits, dandelions contain a lot of beta-carotene, more than carrots.
6. Wheatgrass
A weed that is hated by gardeners and field workers because it negatively affects the growth of crops such as wheat. However, many do not suspect that the weed is very beneficial for the human body. Young plants that have not yet formed seeds are suitable for consumption. The leaves are suitable for salads, soups, sauces, and the roots can be used to make healthy flour.
7. Sitnik
A plant that is used for landscaping ponds, and many simply call it reed. In this weed, the stems, roots and seeds are edible. They can be eaten raw or boiled. Rusticum is nutritious because it is high in carbohydrates. The flour obtained from the dried roots will be sweet, and there will be no need to add granulated sugar to it.
8. Shepherd's Purse
Children of the 90s know this weed like no one else, since they ate it without fear, noting a rather pleasant taste that is similar to garden greens. A shepherd's purse can diversify the taste of any dish, adding piquancy to it. Please note that young plant has a sharp and sour taste. You can use weed seeds for food by adding them to sauces instead of mustard. It should be noted beneficial properties shepherd's purse, which are used in medicine.
9. Purslane
This plant can be distinguished by its thick red stem and succulent rounded leaves. It is very difficult to get rid of this weed on the site, but if necessary, you can get a lot of edible greenery. The stems and leaves can be eaten fresh, adding to salads or other dishes. Purslane can be an excellent substitute for spinach. As for the benefits, this plant contains antioxidants and omega-3.
10. Sakhalin knotweed
A weed that can be compared in appearance to bamboo due to tall stems. It is widespread in northeastern Europe and the Midwest. It is recommended to use shoots of green and red color, up to 8 cm long. Leaves and peels should be removed from them, and then you can cook.
11. Clover
It is not difficult to recognize the plant, since it has leaves with three, less often four, petals, which are considered a symbol of happiness, and original pink flowers. However, few people know about the nutritious and healthy clover seeds, which contain up to 25% protein and 12% healthy fats. They can be eaten to quickly satisfy your hunger. You can also use dried flowers to brew delicious and healthy tea. You can also use raw leaves for food, which should be washed and salted, but the young buds are suitable for fermentation, like cabbage.
12. Kudzu
A plant that can feed a huge number of people, because it grows in many areas. Kudzu is very popular in the south, where a huge number of dishes are prepared from it, even sweet jams and jellies. One of the cooking options is to boil the roots, mix with soy sauce and add to salad. Kudzu is an excellent helper for stomach problems.
13. Rogoz
One of the options for reinforcement in nature is an ornamental marsh plant, which many people confuse with reeds. The rhizomes are used as food, which are dried and ground to form a powder that can be used to bake bread. You can also eat young cobs, which taste similar to asparagus.
14. Bamboo
Many people do not know that bamboo is not actually a tree, but a type of grass that spreads very quickly, like a weed. The taste of the stalks is very similar to corn, and it also contains a lot of fiber, which is important for the body. The simplest way to prepare bamboo is as follows: the leaves and hard surface are removed, and then the shoots are cut into pieces and boiled for 20 minutes to remove the bitterness. At the end, the bamboo is seasoned with soy sauce and added, for example, to a salad.
If you think that everything growing in your yard except the lawn is useless garbage, then you are deeply mistaken and risk losing the opportunity to eat a free lunch.
The so-called weeds contain a whole treasure trove of vitamins, proteins and antioxidants.
And sometimes even more nutritious than store-bought products.
Here are some great tips for finding free snacks in your yard.
Dandelions
Dandelion is perhaps the most famous edible weed in any lawn. You can buy it on the market, however, most likely it grows somewhere nearby and is completely free. When dandelions ripen, they have a slightly bitter taste, so harvest them in early spring or late autumn, when the leaves are young, tender and sweet. The flowers have a pleasant bitter aroma and can also be eaten. Dandelions also contain more beta-carotene than carrots.
Purslane
This plant has round and succulent leaves with a reddish stem. It grows almost everywhere and is not difficult to find. It is notoriously difficult to breed as a weed, but will look good on a plate. Purslane is rich in antioxidant vitamins such as A and C, and also contains fatty acids Omega-3. You can eat fresh stems or leaves, or try making a salad or sandwich. In many recipes, purslane can replace spinach.
Kudzu
Kudzu, a weed that has literally consumed the entire south, is actually very edible. It grows in huge quantities and is a virtually inexhaustible food resource. Southerners have created dozens of dishes using kudzu, including various jams and jellies. You can steam or boil the roots, add soy sauce, or brew tea for thirty minutes. It also helps with colds, fever, allergies and indigestion.
Pigweed
This weed is also called wild spinach and can be found in early summer. It contains calcium and protein, and there are even more vitamins A, C and K in mari than in spinach. It is best to add it in a sauté. Green leaves need to be soaked in olive oil, add a pinch of salt, garlic, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.
Meadow (red) clover
For many centuries, red clover has been used as folk remedy for the treatment of cancer. It contains phytoestrogens, genistein, which have a protective effect against prostatitis. However, this property has not yet been proven. However, there is evidence that phytoestrogens may help prevent and treat breast cancer. If you have red clover in your garden, you can cook it with rice and season it with soy sauce. In addition to potentially reducing the risk of cancer, clover is also high in protein. You can also eat white, but it is not as tasty and nutritious.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a well-known plant. They make everything from it, from boards to pajamas. But not everyone knows that bamboo is actually a type of grass. If anyone has ever grown bamboo near you, chances are you can find it in your own backyard. This weed is very tenacious and extremely difficult to control. Bamboo shoots have a large number fiber, and tastes like corn. If there is bamboo in the area, then you need to collect shoots that are less than two weeks old and less than thirty centimeters high. Before use, the shoots must be cooked. First you need to clear them of outer leaves and remove the hard surface. Then cut across the grain and cook in a saucepan for at least twenty minutes until the bitterness disappears. Cooked bamboo can be seasoned with soy sauce or added to a salad.
Sakhalin mountaineer
Another pesky weed that can be controlled with your appetite. It looks a little like bamboo, but is in no way related to it. It is sometimes called "Japanese bamboo". Easiest to find in the Northeast or Midwest. First you need to collect red and green shoots that are six to eight centimeters tall. Then remove the hard leaves and peel, and then cook.
When weeding a plot, most gardeners don’t even think about the fact that they are throwing away a lot of useful plants that can be eaten. Useful weeds in the garden must be specially grown, but they can be used widely.
If you become familiar with what herbs are useful and how they can be used, then caring for the area will immediately become much more enjoyable. The only thing that needs to be taken into account when collecting this wealth from the world of flora is environmental cleanliness. Taking plants from an unfavorable place can cause harm to yourself instead of receiving benefits.
The most common beneficial weeds
The most difficult weed to deal with is the weed. Particularly strong root system and numerous buds make the grass extremely tenacious and constantly giving trouble to the gardener. However, you can reconsider your view of the plant. Dryweed is an edible weed that contains a huge amount of useful substances. In spring it appears quite early. Its greens help to cope with problems such as vitamin deficiency, which develops after winter. The plant contains:
- ascorbic acid,
- carotene,
- glucose,
- potassium,
- zinc,
- copper,
- calcium,
- iron,
- fiber.
If you include squash in your daily menu during its growing season, you can greatly reduce the risk of malignant neoplasms, heart and vascular diseases. In addition, it has a positive effect on the immune system and blood composition. For digestive disorders, the herb will also be beneficial.
Nettle
Nettle grows in everyone's garden. It belongs to the “burning” family. The herb can be used against many diseases, ranging from inflammatory to anemia. The presence of vitamin K in high concentrations explains why herbal formulations help quickly stop bleeding. Nettle is necessary for nursing mothers, as it improves the composition of milk, making it fattier and more nutritious.
Nettle is also used in cooking, like many other edible weeds in the garden.
Plantain
Plantain is a particularly beneficial herb. The plant is highly resilient. In folk and traditional medicine Its above-ground part is valued, as it contains a record amount of substances beneficial to human health. The main ones are:
- vitamins,
- minerals,
- mucus,
- phytoncides,
- organic acids,
- flavonoids,
- polysaccharides.
Since ancient times, plantain has been used as an antiseptic and hemostatic agent. In addition, the plant heals inflammatory diseases respiratory system, in which there is a large volume of mucus in respiratory tract. The juice, freshly squeezed from the leaves of the plant, is saturated with natural mucus, which is medicinal and helps to cope with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
Buttercup caustic
The plant is poisonous, so its ingestion is prohibited. Its toxicity is associated with the appearance of senilic acid at the time of breakdown of the components that make up buttercup. Externally, the herb is used as a medicine for many diseases, which can replace some pharmaceutical drugs.
Tinctures of this medicinal plant rubbed for rheumatism, joint diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus.
When using caustic buttercup, you must be careful, since excessively frequent application of the drug leads to serious skin irritation.
Dandelion officinalis
Dandelion, familiar to everyone, is a ubiquitous, profusely and brightly flowering weed that can be used in cooking and folk medicine. The plant is perennial. It has a tap-shaped root, the length of which can reach up to 60 cm. Its leaves contain a milky juice with a bitter taste. It is no coincidence that dandelion is called the elixir of life. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and has a beneficial effect on all human systems and organs. This medicinal herb has very powerful anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, restorative and anti-cancer effects.
It is better to use young plants collected in the spring for treatment, since they contain the maximum amount of useful substances.
It is good to add tender leaves to salads. They will give them a piquant taste and add vitamins.
woodlouse
The weed grows for a shorter period of time than the warm season lasts, and the gardener needs to have time to get the maximum benefit from it. Using the plant as a vitamin supplement in the spring allows you to eliminate the signs of vitamin deficiency and improve the condition of the body. Woodlice also has an antitumor effect, which is aimed at both benign and malignant neoplasms.
Externally, a paste of grass is applied to hemorrhoid cones. It promotes their resorption and prevents heavy bleeding.
Quinoa
Quinoa weed is edible. Based on the plant, dietary supplements are produced to provide vitamin support to the body. However, gardeners can get everything they need from a plant anywhere at its best by eating it. Before eating, quinoa must be cleared of oxalic acid, for which lemon juice or heat treatment is used.
According to research, the weed is significantly healthier than spinach due to its concentration of B vitamins, minerals and proteins.
The leaves and stems of the grass are eaten. Prepare quinoa using spinach recipes. IN pure form It is better to consume the weed after steaming, as in this case the greens will be much more tender.
The beneficial properties of weeds should be used as much as possible. In the summer, gardeners and gardeners can support themselves not only with the harvests from their plantings, but also with plants that do not require care and grow on their own as a bonus.
However, you should not rely only on the beneficial properties of plants. If the first signs of various diseases occur, you should first consult a doctor!
“Edible weeds?” you ask incredulously, do such people exist? For most of us, weeds are thought of as "bad" plants that need to be eliminated. But many of those that we used to call weeds are actually very nutritious and healthy. You can use them to prepare salads and soups and even make jam. Read more about them in the article.
Many edible weeds are rich in antioxidants, vitamins E and C.
The weed contains a large amount of antioxidants. Rich in ascorbic acid(vitamin C), beta-carotene (provitamin A), glutathione and tocopherol (vitamin E) and omega-3 fatty acids.
Purslane tastes like spinach greens. Like spinach, purslane is eaten raw or cooked. Weed sprouts are added to soups or salads.
One of the most common weeds. Dandelion leaves contain large amounts of iron, carotene, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and vitamins C, B1, B2, P, PP, E. Dandelion leaves and roots are used in folk medicine to cleanse the liver.
Dandelion leaves are used to make salads, soups and even jam. The flowers can be used to make wine, and the dandelion root is used to make coffee.
Burdock is cultivated in Japan as a vegetable. Burdock is a very good source of many polysaccharides. It also contains valuable minerals such as iron, manganese, magnesium, and small amounts of zinc, calcium, selenium and phosphorus.
Burdock leaves and roots contain small quantity folic acid, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, vitamin E and vitamin C.
Burdock has edible roots and stems. Burdock flowers taste like artichokes, and the roots have a distinct nutty aroma. The roots can be eaten raw by adding them to salads. Or boil, marinate and stew. Burdock goes well with potato dishes.
Stinging nettle
Nettle has long been used in medicinal purposes. It is rich in minerals (chrome, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, sulfur, manganese, silicon), vitamins (group B, vitamin A, carotene, vitamin C, D, K) and amino acids.
Young nettle leaves can be eaten like spinach, added to soups and vegetable dishes. Try adding nettles to pasta dishes, casseroles and omelettes. Dried nettles can be used as a spice or seasoning.
Nettle leaves are used to make a soft, refreshing drink.
Important. Do not eat raw leaves!
Young leaves are consumed as food, in which citric and malic acids predominate, there are vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, a lot of protein, and iron. Sorrel leaves have a pleasantly tart aroma. The leaves and stems of the plant are edible and can be consumed either raw or cooked.
Young leaves can be added to salads, sauces, soups, and egg dishes.
Important. Contains a large amount of oxalic acid. It is not recommended to consume in large quantities.
Edible parts: flowers, leaves and roots. Chicory is a source of thiamine, niacin and zinc, vitamins A, C, E, K, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese.
Chicory roots are used to make coffee. Young chicory leaves are used in salads, and mature green leaves are used as garnishes for dishes.
Plantain contains a huge amount of useful substances: carotene, citric acid and nicotine, phytoncides, tannins, vitamin C, vitamin K, mineral salts and proteins (in seeds).
Plantain is used not only to treat diseases, but also in cooking. Excellent salads using plantain leaves will saturate the body essential vitamins and microelements. Cooking recipes plantain salads may include others useful herbs: dandelion, wild garlic, nettle.
Young leaves of plantain are used to prepare various dishes. From them you can prepare various salads in combination with onions, lettuce, horseradish, potatoes, nettles, quinoa, as well as omelettes, casseroles, porridges, drinks, purees and cutlets, used in cabbage soup.
I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday and was horrified. The skin is dry, the hair is dull... Despite the care, the heating of the house and the frost outside do their grim work. I dream of being able to walk in the fresh air more often, expose my face to the clear sun and collect the first edible wild herbs.
I don’t want to buy early parsley and dill on the market - not only are they obscenely expensive, but they are also grown in greenhouses using growth stimulants that are far from natural.
Why do I try to eat food in the spring? Yes, this is a storehouse of vitamins and vitality! To grow onions and dill, you have to try very hard, but these fellows grow on their own, and they don’t care at all, because during their evolution they have adapted to survival so cunningly that even a summer resident with a hoe is no help to them.
Real ground greenery is still a long way off, but our unloved weeds have already begun to grow. It turns out that among them there are a lot of edible and useful specimens. Let's get to know them better.
Nettle
The earliest and most tender leaves are edible. To prevent them from burning your tongue, it makes sense to lightly scald them with boiling water. Although I put it through a meat grinder, and it loses more than half of its pungency.
Kislitsa
It is not by chance that it is so named; its leaves have a sour lemon taste, which means they contain a lot of vitamin C, which is so necessary in the spring. Fresh leaves are added to the salad, and the tea made from them will have a pleasant sourness.
Burdock (burdock)
Burdock is good not only in the fight for voluminous hair, its roots and stems are incredibly tasty when stewed. It is even cultivated in Japan as a garden crops. The roots can be used to make jam or added raw to salads.
woodlouse
Juicy green chickweed is used in salads, soups or as a dried seasoning for dishes.
Hare cabbage (sedum)
The juicy, crispy leaves are good in salads; they can also be pickled or added to other vegetables to make casseroles and cutlets.
Horsetail
Young spore-bearing whites are placed in jelly and compotes, casseroles. The green juicy stems are eaten raw or stewed.
You may not know, but any plant, even one, has medicinal properties. But not all of them are edible, and some require special processing before eating. Please note that these medicinal plants, like yarrow, fireweed, cuff, knotweed, lungwort, cinquefoil, primrose (primrose), goat's rue, blue cornflower are also edible. Collect very young shoots and feel free to use them in spring salads.