Wild Edibles and How To Use Them

Wild Edibles and How To Use Them

By Ryan Graden

When COVID hit, he world went crazy! And rightly so. None of us knew what this meant for our population. What was in store for us? Rather, what was NOT in the store for us!

I remember going to purchase groceries shortly after lockdowns hit and seeing shelves empty of products that were commonly in abundance. Toilet paper, flour, sugar, and other basics that people began to hoard not knowing what was going to happen in the weeks, years, and months to come.

I admit I began to get nervous too. Being a gardener, I went straight to seeds! I thought, “well, if things get crazy, at least I’ll be able to plant the food that I need to survive on.” I even kept seeds from the beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash we harvested in the late summer and early fall. Again, preparing to survive without the convenience of purchasing those items in the store.

It was also about that time that I began to wonder, “What did folks do a few hundred years ago in order to survive on the land they lived on here in the Midwest?” I thought of the pioneers coming across Iowa and the surrounding states. What did they forage for to use for food, medicine, and other needs? What did the Native Americans use for their dietary needs and medical needs? I knew, for sure, they did not have stores to go to. So what did they use?

I began to be interested enough to start researching for answers to those very questions. Surprisingly, I found that many of the plants I often passed by in the timber or considered weeds in my garden, are the very plants that you and I could be using to live on. I would also argue that some of these plants are even more nutritious and beneficial than what you’d buy at the store. I was dumbfounded! However, at the same time, it also added a sense of comfort. I knew, that if I couldn’t get it in the store, I could find something as good or better in the woods near my home.

In this article, I would like to introduce you to a few different wild edibles! I would like to show you some plants that I would highly encourage you to consider adding to your regular diet. Not only are they very nutritional for you, most even have health benefits that would better your health and immune system as we battle a new culture that is seeing a competition between health and illness.

Wild Spinach – Lamb’s Quarter
Let’s begin with Wild Spinach. Maybe you might know it as Lamb’s Quarters. Officially named Chenopodium Album.

When I first started to plant a garden in my yard, I would come through, at least weekly and weed it. One of the weeds that drove me nuts was this very plant. I didn’t know what it was but I knew it grew very well in my garden and I wanted it out!

It had wide almost arrowhead shaped leaves and the stem, if I let it grow to a taller height, would firm up and give the plant quite a good stand against the weather.

When I was researching for local edibles, I saw a picture of this and recognized it immediately. When I read about it’s health benefits, I quickly realized that this “wild spinach” was even more healthy than domestically planted spinach! According to one study, wild spinach produced two to four times more potassium than domesticated spinach. It also contained an above average amount of magnesium and was also a rich source of lutein and other carotenoids.

Lamb’s Quarter also has some great medicinal benefits that range from immediate to long-term. For immediate uses, the leaf of the plant can be used to bring relief from insect bites as well as sooth small cuts and abrasions. When ingested regularly, this plant is great for joint pain as well as pain from arthritis.
You do have to know exactly what the plant looks like. There are a few lookalikes that do have a negative effect on the body. So, do your study and make this plant a regular part of your diet next summer!

Purslane
A second plant to bring to your attention is Purslane. A more common name is Little Hog Weed. Scientifically known as Portulaca Oleracea.

Purslane is another plant that is commonly found in yards and gardens. There are, again, a few dangerous lookalikes, so make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. The plant has purplish reddish tubular stems and usually lays flat to the ground. The leaves are green and teardrop in shape. It also looks a bit “rubbery” when you see it. It is of the succulent family.

Purslane is another powerhouse plant that you should regularly have as a part of your diet. Nutritionally, it has more than double the omega-3 that kale has as well as other leafy greens. Purslane also has as much iron as spinach does and it contains antioxidants such as glutathione, which would be good for preparing your body to fight off illnesses. This weed also contains large amounts of Vitamin C, which is good for collagen and blood vessels and blood flow. Along with vitamin C, there is also a good amount of vitamin A that helps with eyes, immune system health, and cell growth!

Goldenrod
Another excellent plant to add into a regular diet is goldenrod. Folks often notice this flowering plant in late summer and early fall. These tall slender green stems seem to have a fountain of hundreds of tiny yellow flowers on the top of those stems. Along the entire stem, there are long slender green leaves. The leaves are very narrow and come to a sharp point.

Golden rod has long been used for medical purposes. Beginning with Native Americans and then noticed by pioneers. Almost everything is edible on this plant. Most commonly, the leaves are collected and either eaten in salad form, or brewed in teas.

Goldenrod’s medical advantages are great. Simple goldenrod tea can help with a person’s kidney function, urinary tract, skin health, bronchial congestion, colds, allergies, joint pain, and so much more.

You must know that when you brew the tea, goldenrod is a bitter tasting plant. So don’t be afraid to add some mint or other flavor to offset the bitterness.

Stinging Nettle – Itch Weed
Yes, you heard me right, itch weed is one of the most beneficial weeds out there to use.

When I read and studied up on this plant I was incredibly surprised at all this can offer to us. Just in case your wondering, yes, I’m talking about the very weed that we often walk through unknowingly and yet, will knowingly suffer the consequences. Severe itching and stinging sensations are left on your skin caused by microscopic hairs that deposit into our skin causing the itch sensation. Trust me, you will know when you’ve met stinging nettle.

However, if you can harvest it safely, it can be one of the most nutritious plants you can have in your diet.

Stinging nettle is a plant that has a tall sturdy stem covered with what looks like tiny little hairs. The leaves are tear-dropped in shape with a very ragged pointy repetition along it’s edge. The plant can grow anywhere from three to eight feet tall and the leaves are anywhere from one to four inches in length. Keep in mind, wear gloves when you harvest in order to not suffer the stinging sensation.

Before the flowers appear on the plant, you can harvest the leaves and use them for cooking. It is best to add them to soups or any cooked dishes. The stinging hairs on this plant will not be removed unless it has gone through some sort of cooking process. Most people will use goldenrod in teas and drink the benefits up to three times a day!

The health benefits of Stinging Nettle are incredible. This plant can help with allergy relief, arthritis, gout, and normal inflammation, burns, insect bites, and wound healing. It is also known to stimulate blood flow and improve circulation.

Nettle Tea can also be used as a hair rinse if you’d like to add a little extra shine to your look!

All in all folks, do not fear! If times ever get tough, there is quite a bit out there that we have forgotten about over the last number of generations. The plants that I named in this article are only a few of hundreds that can be found in your neighborhood. Plants that you could be using to feed yourself as well as take care of your health.

I would encourage you to do a little research and see what’s out there that you might have access to. It will take a little effort on your part to collect these for use, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Being in the outdoors and a little exercise is always a good thing too!

You can also find much more on these plants as well as others from websites that have a topic of foraging. Don’t be afraid to look things up and learn what there is to look for.

Remember, people have been living here in Iowa long before the grocery stores and pharmacies set up shop and began to sell their goods. People who lived here had to survive off the land with what they knew and what they could find. Maybe we need to reconnect with what was known a few hundred years ago. It might save you a buck or two. Who knows, you might start feeling pretty darn good also!

Good luck!