Stevia: The Sweet Medicine for Inflammation

Stevia is called Kaahe-he, which means sweet herb, by the native Indian tribe in Paraguay that has used this local herb for centuries for everything from a sweetener for teas to an ingredient in medicines. The Japanese were the first to purify stevia extract in the 1970s and have since used stevia in many of their fermented foods. Stevia is now cultivated in several countries including the United States, China, Brazil, and Mexico. It can be purchased in liquid, powder, or tablet form and is found in both food and dental hygiene products.1

Health Benefits of Stevia

Stevia a natural anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer agent. It contains zero calories, yet it is up to 300 times sweeter than sucrose, which makes it an excellent sugar substitute. This “miraculous Paraguay herb” may be called such because of its therapeutic properties in controlling type-2 diabetes, preventing cancer, aiding in weight control, and improving overall human health. 2,3

Scientists have identified general health benefits in individuals who consume products derived from stevia. Perhaps the best sweetener on the market, stevia does not appear to have negative health risks associated with consumption as do other sugar alternatives.

While researchers are still working towards identifying how the body utilizes all components contained in stevia, what is understood clearly benefits human health.

Stevia Effectively Breaks Down Sugar and Fat

Some research has found that stevia acts as an anti-hyperglycemic agent, or high blood sugar antagonist, because of its ability to lower glucose levels by up to 35% in healthy individuals and approximately 18% in patients with type-2 diabetes. 2

A 2010 study compared the effects of stevia to other sweetener products. 5 Healthy individuals who consumed stevia had significantly lowered postprandial glucose levels compared to those who consumed sucrose. In other words, the body appeared to stabilize blood sugar much more efficiently than traditional table sugar following food intake. Lower insulin levels were also measured in individuals who consumed stevia compared to those who ate aspartame and sucrose.

A 2015 report, yet to be published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, provides greater support that stevia products reduce insulin resistance not only by enhancing insulin secretion but also by improving both glucose metabolism and the breakdown of fat and bile acid which aids in weight control. 6

The wave-like effect of repeating spikes in blood glucose followed by a dramatic drop leads to insulin resistance, which causes diabetes. Stevia may therefore be an excellent sugar alternative for individuals with metabolic conditions such as diabetes or hyperglycemia or for those with energy imbalances and problems controlling weight.

Anti-inflammatory and Anti-Cancer Agent

Some studies have found that the phagocytic function of cells, referred to as cellular eating because a cell will completely engulf and process particles, aids the immune system in protecting the body from potential threats when stevia is consumed. 2 Two water-soluble compounds contained in stevia, chlorphylls and xanthophylls, have also been named as the reason why stevia exhibits anti-inflammation and cancer protective properties.

Chlorophylls and xanthophylls have been concluded to not only protect the body from the effects of carcinogens linked to numerous health concerns and disorders, but these components have actually been shown to limit tumor-promoting cell growth. 7

Related Reading:
Sources:
  • Kobus-Moryson M, and Gramza-Michałowska A. Directions on the use of stevia leaves (Stevia Rebauidana) as an additive in food products. Acta Sci Pol Technol Aliment. 2015 Jan;14 (1), 5-13 DOI 1644-0730
  • Salvador RR, Sotelo MH, Paucar LM. Study of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) ad a natural sweetener and its use in health benefit. Scientia Agricultural. 2014 Sep;5(3):157-163. ISSN: 2077-9917
  • Chatsudthipong V, and Muanprasat C. Stevioside and related compounds: therapeutic benefits beyond sweetness. Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2009 Jan;121(1):41-54. PMID: 19000919
  • Non-Nutritive Sweeteners (Artifical Sweeteners) – American Heart Association
  • Anton SD, Martin CK, Han H, et al. Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels.Appetite2010;55(1):37-43. PMCID: 2900484
  • Holvoet P, et al. Stevia-derived compounds attenuate the toxic effects of ectopic lipid accumulation in the liver of obese mice: A transcriptomic and metabolomics study. Food Chem Toxicol. 2015 Mar;77:22-33. PMID: 25554529
  • Lin K-H, Hsu C-Y, Huang Y-P, et al. Chlorophyll-Related Compounds Inhibit Cell Adhesion and Inflammation in Human Aortic Cells. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2013;16(10):886-898. DOI: 1089/jmf.2012.2558


The Role of Supplements in Bodybuilding

In a nutshell, dietary supplements help us get all the necessary nutrients needed for building lean muscle mass. When combined with a good diet, they can improve your training performance and results. However, there are some big truths and even bigger lies about supplements. While experts agree that vitamin or mineral supplementation is beneficial in our diets, they also point out that they are supplements, not replacements, and that they should fill in the nutrient gaps, not take over our diet.

Secondly, supplements are of little use if you don’t push hard in the gym. The same goes if you are feasting and overeating three times a day. In other words, you should make everything else right before supplements enter the scene. This includes regular training, proper diet, and enough recovery period and sleep.

Dietary Supplements, Supplement Food

Dietary supplements are not designed as a substitute for food. They simply cannot replace all the nutrients that whole foods contain. They can patch nutrient holes here and there, but the true power lies on the plate, not in the powder. There’s no doubt that whole foods are the best source of nutrients, as they contain phytochemicals, fibers, and other elements that contribute to good health. They simply cannot be simulated with a pill or a supplement powder.

Supplements and Health

Supplementation is a great way of boosting nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, which modern lifestyle and popular foods often fail to contain. In this case, vitamin and mineral supplements are helping the body alleviate nutrient deficiency and reduce the risk of chronic medical conditions. And while it’s true that you can build a good body based on proper diet like guys did back in the 50, it’s much more time consuming, and it requires regular tours to the supermarket. For bodybuilders, supplements are the more convenient way of ingesting enough muscle-building nutrients.

Fibers

Fiber has many advantages in maintaining normal cholesterol levels. It regulates the amount of cholesterol our body absorbs from food. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes are natural sources of fiber. And while, as always, it’s better to ingest fibers directly from food, you can enhance fiber intake by 25 to 30g of fibers from supplements. Psyllium husk, which is a common ingredient in fiber supplements, is known to reduce the level of bad LDL cholesterol while raising good HDL cholesterol.

Creatine

The role of creatine monohydrate supplements is to boost the creatine level in you muscle tissue. The level of creatine phosphate in muscles is directly related to the amount of weight you can lift and your ability to perform short-term maximum strength reps. High-intensity anaerobic workout performance can be increased by creatine supplementation.

Glutamine

This amino acid makes up over 61% of your skeletal muscle. Its benefits include improving immune function, which is crucial for athletes in high-intensity training. It was also shown that glutamine may prevent muscle catabolism. Glutamine supplements are believed to boost the amount of growth hormone levels.

BCAA

The group of branch chained amino acids consists of valine, leucine, and iso-leucine. These amino acids are compounds that your body cannot generate, so their level must be increased through diet and supplements like casein protein. Not only has BCAA supplementation shown better results in gaining strength and muscle mass, but it is also essential for energy production during workouts, while reducing post-exercise muscle soreness.

Editor’s Note:

Creatine is hard on the kidneys. There’s much debate about this, but it’s a fact. This is why creatine is known to cause flatulence. Do not take creatine if you have any kidney related health issues. Other supplements commonly taken by body builders are typically acidic and toxic to the body, but the supplements mentioned above can be purchased from qaulity companies. I recommend you avoid bodybuilding supplements from body building companies.

Also, when body building, be sure to eat an alkaline diet. No matter how much protein you feel you need, if you’re eating an acidic diet full of refined foods and factory farmed meats, your body will stay sore longer. Speed up recovery time by eating a diet that is balanced with lots of produce and healthy fats. When the body is healthy, bodybuilding is easier and much more beneficial for overall health.

Recommended Supplements:

 

Further Reading:
Sources:


Fluoride – Less Is Too Much

Guess what? The nice folks charged with taking care of everyone have finally decided we were getting too much fluoride. The U.S. Public Health Service changed our drinking water standards for the first time since 1962.

The previously agreed upon level of fluoride was 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, the amount of fluoride found in a single use of 95% of the toothpastes available on the market in the United States.

Is Fluoride Even Necessary?

Advocates claim that the addition of fluoride to the water supply is the reason for the decline in tooth decay since the 1950s. These same advocates ignore the fact that the same decline in decay rates occurred in all western countries. The majority of European countries that do not use fluoride have seen a 75% reduction in tooth decay over a forty-year period.

Fluoride’s Unsafe History

Where does fluoride come from? Before fluorine gas (the element that fluoride is derived from) was isolated, chemists dealing with it suffered from severe injuries, especially to the soft tissues of the respiratory tract. Manmade fluoride comes from industrial waste, and the FDA hasn’t carefully assessed it.

Forty percent of 12-15-year-olds in America show signs of fluorosis, an overexposure to fluoride that causes white spots on teeth. The deputy surgeon general is citing fluorosis as the main reason for the lowering of the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water. Unfortunately, that’s not the only reason to reduce and eliminate fluoride in our drinking water.

Harvard scientists decided that the effect of fluoride on the young brain was a high priority topic of study, as several studies have found children’s IQs were reduced by fluoride exposure. It has also been linked to damaged learning and memory centers in the brain.

Fluoride is also toxic for bones, as the chronic ingestion of fluoride has been linked to skeletal fluorosis. It’s clear that the rate of dental damage from fluoride is on the rise, and it makes sense that the same damage is occurring in the skeletal system. There have also been links between fluoride and damage to the kidneys and thyroid.

Say No to Fluoride

With the growing tide of research confirming that fluoride is harming the brain and bones as well as the teeth it’s purportedly designed to help, 0.7 of fluoride per liter of water as the new standard still seems high considering it’s merely the low end of the previous recommendation. The fact that it has taken more than 50 years for the Public Health Service to lower the levels of fluoride in our water in the face of damning evidence shows how unwilling our government is to consider current research.

While the lowering of the recommended amount of fluoride is a step in the right direction, it is not enough. There are things that you can do to take care of and protect yourself even further. Learn about the best water to drink (see links 8 and 2 below) and learn how to make your own fluoride free toothpaste.

Further Reading:
Sources:


Four Things Gym Goers Usually Do Wrong

For a newbie, going to the gym can be a daunting experience. All those machines, muscular, toned regulars cranking the weights, the fitness and nutrition advice and exercise routines you’ve seen in magazines whirling around in your head. However, even the most seasoned gym veterans get it wrong. In fact, sometimes those who have been hammering the gym the longest are the ones with the worst habits. Take a look at our hit list below to see how you can tune up your workout and eliminate the bad habits that may be holding you back from getting the best results.

Not Asking for Help

If you’re unsure of something – ask! So many people feel intimidated at the gym. They never ask for assistance or find out how to use the equipment for optimum results. At best, people simply use the same machines over and over again or they use them wrong. At worst, they can be put off so much that they never return. If you don’t feel able to ask someone in the gym or a member of staff, then turn to the Internet. There are so many sites and resources online brimming with information. So think about your goal and get Googling.

Not Eating Properly

Nutrition is actually more important than what you do at the gym. If you don’t get that right, your workout could be null and void. People still skip meals or eat convenience or junk food believing that it won’t affect their workout. Sadly, this isn’t true. Make sure you’re getting a good mix of healthy carbs, protein, and fresh vegetables throughout the day. Snack when you are hungry and never starve yourself. Hydration is also key. Feed your body properly and it will thank you, but most importantly, the benefits will come back to you tenfold.

Not Compensating for Dietary Gaps

Eating right and ensuring your body is getting the essential nutrients it needs is easier said than done. It is important to be aware of the gaps in your diet so that you can take measures to resolve them. While food should be your primary source of nutrients, vitamins and other dietary supplements can compensate for the minor gaps in your diet. It is important to understand that they do not by any means replace all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods. They are purely a supplement to your diet that can help prevent deficiencies. Supplements have been scientifically formulated according to goal, gender, and age so you can choose a supplement that matches these attributes.

Not Changing It Up

Lots of people get stuck in the same routine – a routine they feel comfortable in, one that they like – the same time, the same machines, the same classes. However your body soon gets used to one type of exercise, so you have to keep it guessing in order to stay fit and toned. Sure, you might know what works for you, and that’s fine, but make sure you’re switching it up now and again and adding new things that will shock your body and produce some surprising new results. Identifying the mistakes you are making is the first step to self-improvement. Nobody is perfect, we are all guilty of a few bad habits. But, if they are hindering your personal goals and objectives, isn’t it time to make a change?

Further Reading:


The Rebirth of Broth – The Peasants’ Superfood

Restore Joints, Blood Vessels, Skin, Bone, Intestines, and More…

We argue over the great nutritional deficiencies of our time.  Some say Omega 3s, others propose low mineral levels like magnesium, selenium, and zinc while still others cite the lack of every vitamin, fruit, vegetable, herb, spice, and amino acid.  Sure!  They are all correct, more or less.

Maybe the most overlooked deficiency is simply real soup, not the stuff in a can.  The easily absorbed proteins and minerals once found in the peasant’s soup pot are absent in today’s popular boneless/skinless chicken breast or other foods of convenience. Any fish or animal carcass plus a mix of veggies and herbs has always been the ticket to restoring the human “carcass.”  Broth bars are springing up around the country in the footsteps of juice bars as healthy choices over fast foods and vending machine snackage.

Strong Statement, Undeniable Biochemistry

The epidemic of arthritis, heart/artery and bowel disease, rampant sports injuries, skin problems, and skeletal erosion is largely due to the lack of soup and Vitamin C, which is critical for collagen synthesis.  Collagen is the substance that cartilage joint surfaces, spinal discs, tendons, ligaments, bones, blood vessels, lymphatics, fascia, fat cells, mucous membranes, and beautiful skin are made from. These connective tissues are the mud and straw of our bodies, the glue and fiber that hold us together and even act as an internal electric grid.

Homemade soups contain a raft of proteins, including the amino acids lysine and proline emphasized by Linus Pauling along with glucosamine/chondrotin sulfate and hyaluronic acid plus all the phosphorous and other minerals that leach from bone and cartilage. You may note these contents in various arthritis supplements and see Vitamin C/collagen appearing on labels of high-end beauty and wrinkle creams.

Stocks can be used in dozens of ways besides soup to slurp with a spoon. The best gravies, sauces, stews, and gumbos start with stocks, and grains like rice and quinoa can be cooked in stock.

How-To in a Nutshell

Chicken soup is fine, but imagine fish heads, shrimp shells, deer bones, wild duck, and turkey carcasses along with the standard beef, pork, and lamb. In a pinch, and for strong gelatin, grab some split pig feet and tails and gnaw the skin and cartilage, too. Connoisseurs prefer to simmer beef bones for 24-36 hours, but 6 hrs is plenty for beef stew in my kitchen.  Some roast bones first to add flavor. All the others make fine stocks in under two hours of gentle cooking, more like simmering than hard boiling. Fish stocks of smallish non-oily saltwater species may be the most nutrient diverse — just gut, snip out gills, and rinse in brine.

All it takes is a big stainless steel pot, water, sea salt, pepper, garlic, onion, celery, and acidic vinegar, lemon juice, or tomatoes to ensure maximum mineral release. Fishhead stocks also require a fine screen to strain scales. Any vegetable, herbs like thyme, basil, bay, oregano and even ginger, turmeric, pineapple skins, hot peppers, potatoes, noodles and rice work. Check recipes on the Internet and use your imagination, because anything goes. Vegetables can be steamed or roasted separately or added near the end to prevent overcooking. The thickness of gelatin upon refrigeration is proof positive of success, and gels themselves are full of richly structured water. Reheat only the portion to be consumed.  Fresh stocks can be frozen.

Plan a Protocol

Soups and extra vitamin C are standard maintenance when you are healthy, but if you are facing any symptoms like gum disease, arthritis, skin problems, joint sprains, digestive issues, or even colds or sinus infections, raise the doses. Higher doses might include pig feet or fish soup plus 3-5 oral megadoses of Vitamin C/baking soda per day, every day, until you are completely healed. Expect results and improvement with some issues in days and weeks to possibly a month or two for joint/tendon/ligament/cartilage healing where vasculature is sparse. When joint problems and sports injuries are slow to heal, patience is an asset, yet you can always try to accelerate the process of rebuilding and regenerating tissues, molecule by molecule.

More oxygen means more healing cell energy with reduced acidity and inflammation for any injury, infection, or concussion. Try five to ten minutes of pure oxygen (or sessions of hyper-ventilation exercise) several times a day up to HBOT treatments for more severe complaints.

Alkalizing the system with bicarbonate of soda, apple cider vinegar, and magnesium supplements moves more O2.

You can raise circulation with cayenne, niacin, sauna, exercise, and massage to move oxygen and lymphatic wastes. Anti-inflammatory polyphenol-packed herbals like ginger, turmeric, garlic and MSM sulfur internally, and cannabis oil, magnesium oil, and capsaicin creams externally reduce pain and swelling. Pauling also recommended vitamin E.

Pulsed lasers are winning acclaim for joint pains among chiropractors and veterinarians.

Pain is a great motivator, driving many to drink, drugs, and surgeries. Understanding body chemistry and acquiring the simple art of making healing soups is worth more than gold when you consider the alternative.

Further Reading:


Juicing and Meditation – A Great Combination for Spring

The focus on warmer weather and fresh starts makes healthy eating a popular choice for spring. Healthy eating is wonderful, but do you know you can enhance the effects of a good diet through meditation?

You may not think meditation is for you, but it has something for everyone, even the most cynical ones. It has the ability to relieve pain, bring clarity to all areas of life, to improve the skin, and generate a feeling of all round serenity, which helps with any area of stress within life.

It is no use working hard on your career, family, social activities if you cannot relax properly to enjoy them. As you work hard to make improvements to your life, make it your mission, a duty to yourself, to cultivate calmness and clarity, which will aid in these improvements.

Meditation is a means to tap into your inner self. No noise, no over analysing, just you. Maybe even a part of yourself you have not encountered before. It is a gift to yourself and here are three reasons why meditation is a must for those looking for self-improvement.

Meditation Heals

Meditation takes you to a very private place. It brings a sense of profound rest leading to a deep feeling but doesn’t leave you drained. Instead it gets you re-energised.

Practicing meditation regularly is a discipline. If you are a regular dieter or stick to a healthy food plan, you’ll know discipline is based upon motivation and upkeep. Like a juice plan, you must remain dedicated. In the case of meditation, you should practice regularly, every day or twice a week.

Meditation can heal you at your core. You can reconnect with yourself and your intuition will be improved as well, providing a deep relaxation, which leads to clarity.

It helps with physical problems, too. Those who practice regularly find they sleep deeply. Recurring ailments like stress headaches can also be eased from meditation as well as inevitable processes such as menopause.

Those with addictions of varying levels of severity can use meditation, too. Even if it is just cutting down on something such as caffeine, the clarity which comes from meditation will be good for you. We like to feel our best even more so in the summer months, so it’s a good time to start being proactive.

Meditation Reveals the Real You

Since meditation is an act of self-love, one thing that nobody else can do or give to you, over time your own self-compassion will improve. You will benefit, as will those around you.

Life is stressful, and meditation can make it easier to become less reactive to issues around you, to feel less anger and frustration. Everyone can benefit from being more patient, and meditation naturally affirms this within you. The key is that you become more comfortable being yourself, even if you thought you were comfortable prior to meditation.

Look and Feel Healthier (and younger!)

According to The Journal of Neuroscience, meditating for five years or more keeps you physiologically five years younger than your actual chronological age. The healthy habits from meditation can be cultivated to cut down on food which is bad for us. This is according to the

The healthy habits from meditation can be cultivated to cut down on food that is bad for us. According to the Journal Emotion and The Journal of Behavioural Medicine, those who meditate have significantly higher levels of DHEA, a natural steroid hormone that reduces stress, improves memory and regulates weight.

Everyone likes to feel youthful during the summer months. A new lease on life will improve progress and motivation in all areas of work. The ability to enjoy life with improved clarity will create better experiences for you and for those you care about the most.

Check out R-Awesome Juice Detox to learn more about how meditation accompanies a juice diet plan.

Further Reading:


Five Common Weeds to Cultivate for Health and Nutrition

Much of the work we do as gardeners involves pulling weeds, and many of us can attest that this is not our favorite part. The good news is that there are many common garden weeds you can leave right where they are.

Edible weeds have been a common food source throughout history and a regular part of the American diet up until the rise of the supermarket and the shift towards large-scale agriculture. More recently, people have been re-discovering these nutrient-rich plants as part of a healthy, organic diet, and, as a result, educational opportunities abound. There is a variety of books, websites, classes and entire schools dedicated to teaching how to harvest and prepare these foods. If you read up on the subject, you will also find many wild, edible weeds offer the added benefit of medicinal properties.

Getting Started

The best way to get started is to learn how to identify your garden weeds. There are some very useful book resources out there with colored guides to positively identify the plants you are looking for and “weed” out poisonous look-alikes. Petersen Field Guide: Edible Wild Plants, by Lee Allen Peterson is a handy all-around reference that includes more than 370 edible plants, colored illustrations, photographs, and directions on preparation. If you want to get a little more in-depth on some of the more common wild edibles, Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate by John Kallas, Ph.D. includes thorough identification and recipes. There are also many local wild food groups popping up in towns everywhere, and an internet search should turn up local organizations.

There are also many local wild food groups popping up in towns everywhere, and an Internet search should turn up local organizations, workshops, and plant walks. Social media sites like Facebook offer another resource for national and local plant identification groups. On-line communities are a great place to ask questions, post-plant pictures, and benefit from the collective knowledge of others. Once you feel comfortable with identification, you can go out and start shopping for free in your own backyard.

Dandelion

The first and most common of these weeds is the dandelion. This plant is tenacious, managing to grow everywhere from cracks in sidewalks to all over your lawn. There is a huge agrichemical industry geared towards the American homeowner and the idea that a well-kept lawn is a weed-free lawn, with the dandelion depicted as the number one enemy. People are convinced they should spend their time and money eradicating the dandelion with harmful herbicides. The truth is, dandelions are very useful and are easily managed by hand-pulling and regular harvesting. The greens that emerge in the early spring are rich in antioxidants, Beta-carotene, vitamin C, Vitamin D, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, sodium, and a variety of trace minerals. They are also fairly high in protein. Not only can you eat the leaves, but the cheery yellow flowers make an excellent addition to colorful salads and can be added to stir-fries. My favorite thing to make with them are dandelion fritters for a festive springtime meal. In addition, the root makes a delicious coffee-like beverage when roasted, ground and brewed.

The value of dandelions doesn’t stop there. They are used as an herbal remedy for anemia, blood disorders, promoting digestion, improving liver and kidney function, regulating diabetes, lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol, and slowing the growth of cancerous cells.

Plantain

Not to be confused with the banana-like plant of more tropical regions, this common garden weed has a similar nutritional profile to dandelions and grows in equal abundance. Often this weed can be found growing everywhere from garden beds to lawns and roadsides. The green oval-shaped leaves sprout from the center of a rosette with a stalk covered in seeds rising from the center. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked in sautés, soups, and stews. They are often blanched before they are added to salads or frozen for later use. The shoots when young and green are excellent sautéed in olive oil, and still edible once older, but the fibers present a bit more work for eating. The seeds can be stripped off the stalk and eaten as well, although this is a somewhat tedious process.

Plantain leaves can also be mashed between your fingers and applied as a topical poultice for relief of cuts, scrapes, bruises, and especially insect bites. Plantain is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Dried leaves can be steeped for an herbal tea for general enjoyment and to treat liver and kidney disorders, urinary tract infections, gallstones, ulcers and bronchitis.

Chickweed

This plant gets its common name from the affinity chickens have for it, and those chickens are definitely on to something. Chickweed grows in a network of long, succulent stems with pointed leaves and tiny, white star-shaped flowers. It grows in gardens, lawns, and even in the shade under the canopy of trees. These tender greens are best harvested in May through July and if transplanted or sown by seed, it can be cultivated in a cold frame throughout the winter when fresh greens are hard to come by. It’s also a good plant to keep around in the garden because it decreases insect damage to other garden plants where it grows. The stems and leaves make an excellent salad green and sandwich fixing and they can be added to soups and stews, chopped stems and all. Chickweed is highly nutritious, providing vitamins A, B complex, C, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, sodium,

Chickweed is highly nutritious, providing vitamins A, B complex, C, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica. Due to the high content of saponins, it helps increase the body’s absorption of nutrients. It is so highly nutritious, in fact, that it was commonly recommended for convalescents and people recovering from illness to help build strength.

Externally, finely chopped chickweed will soothe and heal cuts, scrapes, burns, eczema, and rashes. Steeped as a tea, it has diuretic properties that promote kidney and urinary tract health. It is also considered an old wives’ remedy for obesity, due to its ability to break up and flush out excess fat cells.

Lamb’s-Quarters

This common weed is also known as “wild spinach”, and while it is quite similar, it is much easier to grow. This plant has tall stems with diamond shaped leaves that are green on top and whitish underneath, and appear dusty at a distance. Tiny green clusters of flowers grow from the top in spikes. Anywhere where soil has been disturbed, lamb’s quarters loves to fill in the spaces, which conveniently happens in our garden beds in the spring. It is best harvested before it goes to seed, as it spreads quickly through the garden. It is also important not to harvest it in areas contaminated by chemicals or synthetic fertilizers, as it readily absorbs and stores them.

Lamb’s-quarters is much higher in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B Vitamins, calcium, phosphorous, niacin, iron, and protein than spinach and most of the other domesticated greens. You can use lamb’s quarters the same way you would use spinach in any dish. Like spinach, it is high in oxalic acid, which inhibits absorption of iron and calcium. Small amounts of raw lamb’s quarters are fine to eat, in things like salads and smoothies, but larger amounts should be cooked to break down the oxalic acid. It is rumoured to taste better than spinach when steamed, so be prepared for a treat.

Medicinally, lamb’s quarters are used as a tea or simply eaten to treat stomach upset and diarrhea. A simple external poultice can also be made by crushing up the leaves to soothe swelling and burns.

Nettles

And finally, my favorite superfood, stinging nettle. If you live on acreage or near a park, you may find them nettles in patches at the edge of wooded areas or find them in the shady parts of yards, often next to buildings. You may have had unpleasant run-ins with this plant, making it difficult to imagine any warm, fuzzy feelings towards it, but learn to handle it right and you’ll have a great ally in the plant kingdom.

In the spring, if you put on your garden gloves and pinch off the top few inches of the stalk and leaves, you can steam, stir-fry, puree or brew away the troublesome spines for a culinary delight.

Nettles are so high in so many nutrients, that you can’t help but feel like a superhero after eating them. Not only are they chock-full of Vitamins A,C, E, F, K, P and B Vitamins, they are also high in zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, boron, bromine, calcium, chlorine, chlorophyll, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iodine, chromium, silicon, sulfur, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Top that off with 16 free amino acids, beta carotene, antioxidants, protein and fiber, and its no wonder they are referred to as nature’s multi-vitamin!

Nettles are delicious in soups and broths. They make a vitamin rich tea, pair nicely with eggs in scrambles and quiches, and even make a lovely pesto when substituted for basil.

Medicinally, nettles are used as a spring cleansing tonic, a blood builder, a PMS treatment, and as a diuretic. Nettles have also gained notoriety as a natural remedy for allergies, asthma, hay fever, hives, and respiratory issues. Topically, the nettle’s sting has been successfully for treating arthritis and tendinitis.

The Benefits of Edible Weeds

When it comes down to it, it is much more efficient to cultivate plants that are already thriving where they’re growing. They will require less watering and overall care. If they are a spreading weed, you will just need to make sure you keep harvesting enough to keep it contained. By working with, rather than fighting some of these plants, you will also benefit from freeing up extra time and energy to devote to other areas of your garden. You can’t get much more local than food harvested right out of your back yard, and you will know it was organically grown and chemical-free. When it comes down to it, what better way to get revenge on your garden weeds than to eat them!

Recipes:

Mountain Hearth Dandelion Fritters

Ingredients:

  • a few handfuls of freshly picked dandelion flower heads
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • cooking oil of choice for frying
  • sesame oil, cider vinegar and tamari for dipping sauce

 In a bowl, mix dry ingredients, then whisk in water and egg with a fork. Heat enough oil in the bottom of a skillet to create a layer for frying. This can be to your preference, but I try to aim for 1/2 inch depth. Dip each flower head in the batter until thoroughly coated and fry until crispy. In a smaller bowl, mix sesame oil, cider vinegar and tamari to a consistency of your liking for the dipping sauce. Serve hot as a delicious spring appetizer.

Other Recipies: 

Further Reading:

Resources: