Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Chickweed is a "drawing herb," once thought to remove toxins from the skin, now more typically explained as a microcirculatory stimulant for the skin. Chickweed may be employed to treat acne, abscesses of the skin, and eczema, as well as duodenal and peptic ulcers.
MEDICINAL USES: Applied externally, finely chopped chickweed soothes irritated skin, especially when mixed with marsh mallow (Althaea officinale) root. It's good for cuts, minor burns, eczema, and rashes. Bandage it on the affected area by itself or mixed with clay, which adds a drying and drawing effect. Change the dressing often.
NUTRITION: Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid), as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica.
Chickweed gets its common name because chickens love it. Raw, it tastes like corn silk. Cooked, chickweed tastes like spinach. Include any of the species in soups and stews, but cook no more than 5 minutes to prevent overcooking. Unlike most other edibles, the stems, as well as the leaves and flowers, taste good.
Cooking shrinks chickweed by 3/4, concentrating the nutrients and compensating for whatever vitamins cooking destroys.
To make chickweed infusion, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup of chickweed. Cover and let steep, off the heat, for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain out the herb and drink the tea hot.
A mild diuretic, promoting the flow of urine, this beverage is also supposed to cleanse and soothe the kidneys and urinary tract and help relieve cystitis. Unlike the more powerful pharmaceutical diuretics, it wonít deplete the body of minerals. Itís also reputedly good for rheumatism.
Chickweed, a common name, can refer to:
Cerastium - Mouse-ear Chickweed
Holosteum - Jagged Chickweed
Moenchia - Upright Chickweed
Paronychia - Chickweed
Stellaria pro parte - Chickweed
|
