Chickweed

One of my interests at present is edible weeds -tonight we are having chickweed and dock as part of our meal.

Here's some information on Chickweed:

Binomial name is STELLARIA MEDIA

Stellaria is from the Latin stella meaning a star, after the flower shape; while media (middle) serves to distinguish this plant from both larger and smaller relatives. It is a member of carnation family.


IDENTIFICATION:
It is a small low growing straggly and delicate weed up to 40cm high with soft lime green smooth ovate shaped leaves. The flowers are white and tiny and occur on downward pointing stalks.It is vigorous and rapidly propagates,and mainly occurs in the autumn and winter months on my property The distinguishing feature is a row of fine hairs on the stem that occur on one side and swap over to the other side between the leaf nodes. Look alikes include tropical chickweed, mouse eared chickweed and euphorbia peplus.






HISTORY AND HERBAL USES:
The name of this weed - and latin morus gallinae - hen's bite - emphasises the historical association of this plant as a bird feed.
As it was considered a food for peasants it seems to have been largely ignored in ancient writings - however undoubtedly it has been eaten for a long time as seeds of it were found in the stomachs of tollund and grauballe man ( bog bodies).
It is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish consumed in the Japanese spring-time festival.

NUTRITIONAL :
high in carotenoids – 4.2 mg/100gm Vitamin C also quite high - 375mg/100gm Polyphenols - rutin and other flavinoids -better than red wine and tea also some B vitamins - thiamine riboflavin and niacinOmega 3 fatty acids ( gamma linolenic acid) 100mg/100gm
Minerals: Chromium, Molybdenum, Sodium, Selenium, Silicon, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Sulphur, Silica, Manganese, Zinc, Cobalt and Phosphorus. Oxalate levels similar to purslane. Also : Saponins, Mucilage, fibre, protein (15-20%)

WHAT TO EAT:
Used principally used as a salad herb or may be cooked as a vegetable with a knob of butter added. Pick young stems – older growth becomes acidic and fibrous. I use scissors to harvest a handful or two - this avoids pulling out roots with dirt attached

PUBLISHED MEDICAL BENEFITS :
It is a potent anti-oxidant activity by virtue of the high levels of vit A There is strong xanthine oxidase inhibition - this pathway associated with gout and other related illnesses such as chronic heart failure and various forms of ischaemia and inflammation

CONCLUSION :
Taste is quite mild - safe to eat in a salad or lightly boiled/steamed