Sowthistle

Here is some information about sowthistle that we regularly eat as a green vegetable.

binomial name: SONCHUS OLEARACEUS
common name :sonchus or sowthistle or milkthistle.
If you are of NZ Maori descent – puha (strictly though this was Sonchus kirkii).

The latin name means : hollow stem + kitchen herb

Identification:
Sowthistle is not really a thistle - it is an early cousin of the lettuce family. Origin - eurasia and north africa - now cosmopolitan. It is a delightful plant to watch grow- initially it develops as a rosette like a dandelion or catsear then it gains in height and develops a hollow stem. This has leaves largely wrapping around (hemiamplexicaul) at intervals before developing multiple flowers/seed heads. On our property it gets to 1.8m high. The leaves are deeply serrated and have non prickly spines - they are a dark or bluish green colour.


History of use:
Archaeologists have found traces of sow-thistle in Roman excavations. Pliny records that before the encounter of Theseus with the bull at Marathon he was given a dish of sow thistle by Hecale - it was considered to be wholesome and strengthening by the Greeks. It was commonly eaten as a vegetable in the middle ages. During the voyages by Captain Cook in the early 1770s on HMS Resolution the crew ate the plant both as a salad and a cooked vegetable to help prevent scurvy. During the 2nd World War New Zealanders were encouraged to eat it as a source of Vitamin C. It is eaten today in New Zealand particularly by the Maoris as puha The roots of the smooth sow-thistle are said to have been eaten by Australian Aborigines.

Nutritional:
Sow thistle is quite high in omega 3 fatty acids - 100mg/100gm
Vitamin C content is high, 77.9 mg/ 100gm ie similar to an orange.
Carotenoids are also high (15.8 mg/100g).
Mineral element contents (Fe, Zn and Mn )are similar to other green leafy vegetables. A good amount of Fibre is present in amounts above 3gm/100gm.

What parts we have eaten: young leaves added to salads or older leaves cooked like spinach/silverbeet. Any bitterness can be reduced by blanching for 2 mins and replacing the water. Taste is slightly tart but no more so than other leafy greens.

Medical reports (from pubmed):
In a study in rats an extract was found to have a similar anti-depressant effect to amitriptyline ( an old fashioned but still used anti-depressant). In another rat study an extract was found to have greater anti-inflammatory effect than Indomethacin and Dexamethasone. Steroids ( such as dexamethasone) are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents currently in use. In a mouse study , an extract was found to exhibit an anxiolytic effect similar to clonazepam ( a drug like valium). Finally, in another rat study, an extract exhibited greater anti-nociceptive ( anti pain) action than morphine and indomethacin at doses comparable to used in humans.

Note that these are extract studies - when you eat the plant leaves obviously doses of any active ingredients will be a lot less and a clinical effect might not be evident.

If you have this weed in your yard consider eating it!