Weed Season is in Full Swing

Eating Weeds Improves Nutrition and Provides Many Health Benefits

Jul 25, 2009 Karen Stephenson

There's a plethora of vitamins and minerals waiting to be had in gardens all over North America. Nature has provided wild edible weeds that are chock full of goodness.

For decades, chemical manufacturers, most lawn care companies and the gardening industry as a whole has heavily influenced people’s attitudes about how a healthy lawn should look. Over the years, people have been told that weeds are bad and must be removed leaving a perfect-looking lawn, yet grass is technically a weed. Ironically, many of the weeds on a gardener's hit list, have more vitamins and minerals than a lot of the produce found in the supermarket.

Henry T. Ford

Henry T. Ford (1863-1947) grew up on a farm in Dearborn, Michigan and was just as fascinated with agriculture as he was with automobile development. He and his good friend, George Washington Carver (an expert in agricultural science) were often seen walking through the fields eating weed sandwiches. Ford was known to eat a lot of shepherd’s purse and lambs’ quarter’s sandwiches with mustard.

Ford strongly believed that nature provides much of what the human race needs to survive, especially when grown wild. Henry Ford’s perspective was that a weed is a plant, just in the wrong place.

Weeds found all over the world are full of vitamins and minerals. Like all healthy green vegetables, they are scientifically proven to fight cancer, viral infections, and some even contain unique anti-aging properties.

Edible Weeds

Stinging nettles requires some preparation and due to the tiny hairs on their leaves, wearing gloves is recommended. This weed must be cooked because of the tiny hairs and once wilted, they can be added to a favorite recipe just like spinach. The leaves contain vitamins A, C and D as well as iron, potassium, manganese and calcium.
Japanese Knotwood is loaded with resveratrol (lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease). Taking the top three inches of the plant and using them in soups, sauces and salads is a great way to take advantage of all its nutrients. This weed is a good source of vitamins A and C as well as containing potassium, phosphorus, manganese and zinc.
Purslane is delicious in salads and in sandwiches. This weed has succulent, fleshy leaves and stalks that contain a high concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, five times higher than the amount found in spinach. The stalks are high in vitamin C and when cooked, have nutritional benefits similar to okra.
Lamb's Quarter is commonly found in many locations throughout the United States and Canada and has a flavor that's similar to chard and spinach. This weed is loaded with vitamin C, A, E and B6 and contains folic acid, riboflavin, potassium and thiamine. Young leaves and small stems can be tossed into salads. These greens will cook rapidly and turn dark green as they shrink in the cooking process. Steaming the leaves is the best way to preserve the nutrients.
The dandelion is the most common weed and is the easiest to recognize. Europeans have been consuming dandelions for decades while in the United States and Canada the pesticide industry has been making high profits destroying nature's food. The dandelion is a natural diuretic and is very rich in vitamin C, A, and iron. The root is used in Europe and Asia to stimulate the liver and cleanse the bloodstream.

Many people still find the thought of eating weeds difficult to swallow, yet there are by far more vitamins, minerals and health benefits in most edible weeds and flowers than what can be found in the produce section of the supermarket. Most weeds are edible plants.

It's easy to research how to identify weeds (and flowers) that are safe for consumption. Not only is harvesting weeds from a backyard a chemical-free way of weed control, but it's a natural way to increase vitamin and mineral intake and provides many health benefits.

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