clair051

Typha latifolia NL: Grote lisdodde / F: Massette Cattail is another versatile plant considered as the wonder of survivalists. One can indeed basically survive from this plant only if needed. It can be used as nutritious food, it filters and purifies waters, it offers material for building shelters, boats, baskets, cordage, clothes, hats, beds, mats, pillows, insulation and it can also be used as a fire starter or fire torch. The more creative you are , the more applications you will find for cattails.  Before we get to how nutritious this plant is, it is worth noting that cattail is a wetland plant, growing in swamps, ponds and along rivers and lakes. One of its important ecological functions is to purify and detoxify water, removing even pollutants and heavy metals from the waters where it grows. The thing is that it cannot get rid of those toxic products or neutralize them right away, so it accumulates them. When thinking of harvesting cattails to be used as food, make sure...

Rumex crispus  NL: Zuring / F: Oseille Most plants of the Rumex genus, docks and sorrels, are edible, rich in protein, vitamins A and C, bioflavonoids, iron and magnesium. But most of them also contain varying levels of tannins and oxalates . For that reason, in their raw form, they should be eaten moderately. They can be freely consumed when boiled 2 to 3 times, changing its cooking water.  Curly dock or yellow dock ( Rumex crispus ) has an ancient history as a powerful purifying, cleansing herb, used to help healing a wide range of skin conditions and other chronic illnesses that can benefit from a depurative herb. All parts of the plant can be used but the strongest properties are found in the roots. For that, the root is harvested early in spring - or early autumn - and dried for further use.  The cleansing actions from various Rumex species are partly explained by its stimulation of digestive secretions, which have a mild laxative effect and help to eliminate waste. ...

Yes, you are reading correctly: grass! While most people may be familiar with the “healing powers” of wheat grass, others may even know about barley grass, oatstraw and alfalfa grass, many people still do not realize that the grass they throw away after mowing their lawn is actually food!  Most grasses are not only edible but they are rich additions to our diets, rich in precious minerals and vitamins. They also have detox properties similarly to wheat grass. The best way to consume it, is to harvest the young grass - now widely available. Normally if it is within 15 cm it will be easily chewable.  I use my Z-star manual juicer to get the best of grasses and other fiber-rich edibles. If you do not have a manual juicer, you can still chew a bunch of young grass a long time, swallow its juice and then spit out the fiberish pulp.  Keep in mind the usual recommendations about finding food in the wild, making sure it is not a place that has been polluted or sprayed with h...

Nasturtium officinale NL: Waterkers - F: Cresson This incredible plant can be found plentiful near water regions, growing all year round. It is amazingly rich both for its nutritional value as for its medicinal applications. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. It tastes great in green smoothies, sandwiches and salads, adding some pungent taste to any culinary creation, similarly to ruccola and mustard - which are by the way from the same family. It is considered a great source of calcium, iodine and iron and its high content of vitamin C makes it a great boost to the immune system to prevent and treat chronic conditions. Traditionally it has been used to prevent and treat colds, bronchitis and even to treat tuberculosis.  tiny cresses on a grass field near a lake It is also a powerful cleansing herb and it is also employed as auxiliary in the treatment of toothache, chest and kidney illnesses, both its internal and external use. It is also used externally to heal skin inflammati...

Equisetum arvense NL: Heermoes - F: Prêle Field horsetail, often considered intrusive, is another richness that we must learn to value. It offers protection to other garden plants and helps enrich the soil. It can be used in natural garden spray helping to strengthen plants to withstand plague attacks, as well as to eliminate some, being particularly effective against fungal infections. It is a great addition to compost heaps and it can take part in a green liquid "compost"  - very easy to make - fermented with other plants, such as nettle. It is a rich source of silica. It has been used in many expensive food supplements sold as "liquid silica", to help improve one's mineral balance, helping to repair tissues, fractures and to strengthen the bones, tendons, hair, skin and nails. Young horsetail shoots It is also used in folk medicine to increase immunity, as blood cleanser, to heal chronic bronchitis and emphysema, to help mineralize the body and as tonic. ...

Plantago major NL: Weegbree - F: Plantago Plantago major Plantains can be found growing all over the world, particularly along paths, but also in grass fields. This is another magical herb to think of in first aid emergencies: abundantly available and with great anti-bleeding, wound healing, skin regenerating properties. Internally, they are used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhea, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, asthma and hay fever. The leaves are used externally, freshly squeezed or heated, in poultices to treat skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings, swellings, etc. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms. Plantago lanceolata Even though they are not the most palatable plant in the world, having a bitter taste, they are also edible. Its strong leaves can be eaten raw, blanched or cooked. First remove the fibrous strands before use. The se...

Urtica dioca NL: Brandnetel / F: Ortie Nettles are not only very nutritious but have also a long list of medicinal applications. They are rich in iron, silicon, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C. Dried nettles may contain up to 40% protein. Fresh young leaves can be used cooked or blanched, what neutralizes the formic acid, rendering them safe to eat. They can replace spinach in recipes in oven dishes, stews, pastas, croquettes, etc.   Young shoots / stems harvested in springtime can be also very tasty. You may simply cook them for 3-5 minutes in a pan with olive oil. Young shoots Nettle seeds Leaves and seeds can be dried in the shadow for winter use. Add its powder to enrich meals.   Some herbal practitioners recommend nettle tea for pregnant women, which may help strengthen the muscles, reducing uterine pain. Due to its high mineral content and its high amounts of vitamin K it also helps prevent hemorrhage after childbirth. Nettle has traditionally been used...

Chenopodium album NL: Ganzenvoet - F: Chénopode blanc Also known as Lamb's Quarters, this plant from the family of quinoa and amaranth is also a great pioneer, growing as one of first after a soil has been emptied of its vegetation or newly cultivated. It is extremely nutritious, and a serving of 180g can cover 281% of one’s daily needs for vitamin A, 46% of one’s daily needs for calcium, 111% of vitamin C and 7% of one’s iron needs. It contains also around 10 times as much vitamin K as one would need per day. Its leaves contain around 12% of high quality protein, meaning that it contains all essential aminoacids. The seeds have about 49% carbohydrate and 16% protein. Goosefoot is also rich in oxalic acid, so the leaves are best not eaten raw. In order to get the best of it, nutritionally, it is better to blanch the leaves and stems or steam them with a little water until tender (3-5 minutes), leaving the pan open, so that its oxalic acid can evaporate. A beautiful variety with you...