- Coltsfoot - an edible plant
- Wild herbs with medicinal properties
- Bad reputation
- It's the crowd that counts
Coltsfoot is an old medicinal plant that grows in the wild in this country. Anyone can track them down and collect their flowers or leaves. Many appreciate the plant not only as a remedy, but as a tasty salad. But there is always talk of toxins. Is that true?
Coltsfoot contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloid, which is considered to be liver-damaging
Coltsfoot - an edible plant
Coltsfoot contains many ingredients, most of which are well tolerated and healthy for us humans. For example:
- iron
- potassium
- calcium
- silica
- magnesium
- and zinc
Because these ingredients are accompanied by a mild taste, connoisseurs of the wild plant family find coltsfoot leaves a delicious addition to light spring salads.
tips
The younger the leaves of the coltsfoot are, the more tender and better they taste.
Wild herbs with medicinal properties
In addition to the substances listed above, the weed also contains mucilage and tannins that bring relief to bronchial diseases. In 1994, coltsfoot was even chosen as medicinal plant of the year.
Bad reputation
There is no doubt that coltsfoot contains many valuable ingredients. But it also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloid. This is a substance that is suspected of being liver-damaging. When this suspicion arose, the collection and use of this medicinal herb abruptly declined.
It's the crowd that counts
It is now known that the toxic substance pyrrolizidine alkaloid occurs in coltsfoot in only very small amounts. It is so low that regular consumption of coltsfoot should not be harmful. Nevertheless, many people do not take chances and prefer to avoid this weed. But at the same time, they are missing out on a tasty and still healthy herb.