Often overlooked as a pesky weed, chickweed is actually a delicious edible plant with medicinal virtues. Right below our feet grows this green treasure that often goes unnoticed, its short stature and humble flowers make it easy to simply pass it by. Chickweed grows abundantly in nutrient-rich areas like garden beds, greenhouses, compost piles, and other nooks and crannies across the yard. This small, earth-hugging plant has tiny, white flowers that resemble stars. While most modern folks consider this plant a pesky weed, during World War II it was encouraged in American victory gardens as an easy-to-grow green that survives cool temperatures. Fast-growing chickweed can soothe respiratory ailments, relieve skin conditions and aid weight loss.
While there are not many scientific studies available on chickweed, the studies that are available are encouraging. One medical study published in March 2009 studied the anti-oxidant levels of the vegetable sprouts in Korean salads. Chickweed sprouts were among the eleven plants tested. The methanol levels in Stellaria aquatica, a close relative of Stellaria media, had the highest anti-cancer properties of all of the vegetables tested for certain kinds of cancer. Antioxidant properties were observed in all of the plants. The conclusion of the study was that the sprouted salad vegetables could definitely be used as a supplement to treat cancer.
There are a few ways to prepare chickweed to cure hemorrhoids. One is to lightly crush fresh common chickweed and apply it the affected area gently. While pain relief can be immediately felt, application of the crushed chickweed should be done several times a day for two weeks to notice a significant improvement.
Because it contains beneficial saponins, chickweed can also be prepared as tea. Brew the chickweed leaves in boiling water for several minutes. Remove the leaves and drink the tea immediately. Regularly drinking chickweed tea do not just promote excellent bowel movement but also help increase blood flow, ease sore throat and colds and promote weight loss. The brewed tea of the chickweed can also be added to the bathwater. The same bathwater can also be used to heal burns and eczema. I will also share a link below for a chickweed ointment that was said to bring relief from hemorrhoids.
Chickweed Ointment:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/therefreshingpoint
Chickweed can soothe mucus membranes and help relieve many respiratory conditions, including asthma, allergies and bronchitis, as well as itchy, inflamed eyes. Research has even shown that chickweed can prevent the growth of bacteria that leads to tuberculosis.
Chickweed’s soothing properties also extend to skin care. Chickweed can soothe inflamed and irritated skin conditions such as acne, eczema, rashes and burns, as well as heal cuts.
Chickweed can be harvested first thing in spring, from late March to April, but has a long season and can be picked well into the fall. It’s a tasty, wild green that is slightly salty without a trace of bitterness. The plant makes a delicious addition to salads and often volunteers alongside cultivated greens like kale and lettuce. A versatile food, chickweed can also be used as a cooked green in stir-fries, soups, omelets, and more.
When foraging for your own greens it is important that you do not taste anything that you cannot positively identify! Luckily, chickweed does not have any dangerous look a likes, so its relatively low risk. Letting you enjoy all the health benefits it has to offer.
Sources:
https://www.hivehealthmedia.com/chickweed-anti-cancer-properties-help-hemorrhoids/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19016328
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The Refreshing Point
Chickweed – Delicious Edible Wild Plant – Has Anti-Cancer Properties & May Help with Hemorrhoids
