What is Purslane?
Are weeds getting a bad rap?
What is a weed?
A weed is defined as a plant that is growing where it is not wanted. In other words, if you are cultivating certain flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruits or grasses, you do not want other species competing for space, water and nutrients. Many people refer to weeds as negative, undesirable, useless and annoying pests. However, many plants labeled as weeds are very good for our health. Dandelion, for instance, is well known for its many beneficial health properties in both its roots and its leaves.
What is Purslane?
Purslane is the common edible garden “weed”, Portulaca Oleracea, also called Little Hogweed, Pigweed, Fatweed or Pusley. It is found worldwide and is likely growing in your sidewalk cracks, your driveway, or in your lawn. Outside of North America, purslane is cultivated in gardens because of its huge health benefits.
Purslane was a common vegetable in the Roman Empire. Although its origin is uncertain, its existence was reported about 4,000 years ago. The succulent stems and fleshy leaves of purslane reflect that it may have originated and adapted to desert climates of the Middle East and India. It can be found in Europe, Africa, North America, Australia, and Asia. It can survive in a wide range of environments, taking little or no care.
What is so positive about Purslane?
It is a rich source of potassium, magnesium and calcium, omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linoleic acid, gamma-linoleic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene and ascorbic acid. Recent research demonstrates that purslane has better nutritional quality than the major cultivated vegetables, with higher beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid. Additionally, purslane has been described as a power food because of its high nutritive and antioxidant properties. Different varieties, harvesting times, and environmental conditions can contribute to purslane's nutritional composition and benefits. It has a long history of use in traditional and alternative medicine.
How can I benefit from Purslane?
Purslane is popular as a traditional medicine in China for the treatment of hypotension and diabetes because it has been shown to contain very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for human growth, development, prevention of numerous cardiovascular diseases, and maintenance of a healthy immune system. Purslane is much higher in omega-3 fatty acids than other greens, with high amounts of ALA and trace amounts of EPA. It is also high in antioxidants: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Glutathione, Melatonin and Betalain. Calorie for calorie, purslane is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth.
Purslane Nutritive Value per 100 g / 3.5 ounce portion (only 16 calories):
Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 26% of the DV.
Vitamin C: 35% of the DV.
Magnesium: 17% of the DV.
Manganese: 15% of the DV.
Potassium: 14% of the DV.
Iron: 11% of the DV.
Calcium: 7% of the RDI.
It also contains small amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, folate, choline, copper and phosphorus.
Are there any contraindications for Purslane?
Purslane contains oxalates, so if you are prone to kidney stones, do not eat large amounts of it. Oxalates can reduce the absorption of some minerals and contribute to kidney stones.
How can we use Purslane?
This succulent plant contains about 93% water. It has red stems and small, green leaves. It has a slightly sour and salty taste, similar to spinach and watercress. It can be used in many of the same ways as spinach and lettuce, such as in salads or sandwiches. The leaves, stems, and flowers are completely edible. When preparing wild purslane, it’s important to wash the plant carefully to ensure that no pesticides are on the leaves. It can be eaten raw or cooked. When added to soups and stew, it thickens the broth nicely.
Here are some ways you can include purslane in your diet:
Add purslane to soups
Sauté purslane as a side dish
Chop purslane and add it to salads for color
Mix purslane into grilled vegetables
Use purslane as a garnish
Sprinkle purslane flowers on fish as a point of interest
Give it a try in the Spring and Summer months and let us know how you like it!
We can eat Purslane raw in salads, by itself or along with other greens and we can also cook it and we can pickle it! Here is a pickling recipe, if you are so inclined.
2 1/2 pounds purslane 1 teaspoon kosher non-iodized salt
(weigh with leaves still attached to stems) 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small onion 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup water 3 whole allspice berries
2 tablespoons sugar, or 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Directions
The key to making great purslane pickles is to use only the thickest stems.
They should be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.
Set up the boiling water bath that you will process your jars of pickled purslane in, and turn the heat on high to bring the water to a boil.
Wash the purslane. Pinch off the clusters of leaves and any stems that are too skinny to pickle. But don't discard those leaves and thinner stems! They are fantastic in salads or chopped and added to soups, where their mucilaginous property will have a nice thickening action.
Chop the thicker purslane stems into pieces approximately 1.5-2 inches long.
Slice off the ends of the onion and peel it. Cut the onion in half lengthwise and then slice the halves into slivers.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar or honey, salt and spices in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to release the flavors of the spices.
While the vinegar and spice brine is simmering, load the jars. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe, but they should be scrupulously clean. Place one of the jars on its side (it's easier to load in the purslane stems that way). Put the purslane stems in so that they will stand vertically when the jar is upright. First, create a bottom tier of stems. Scatter some of the onion slivers over that layer. Start a second layer of purslane stems on top of the onion. Keep adding more stems until it is impossible to fit in even one more: the purslane will shrink a little during canning, and packing the stems in tightly keeps them from floating up out of the brine.
Repeat with the other jar(s).
Pour the hot brine over the purslane stems. The liquid should completely cover them, but still, have at least 1/2 an inch of space between the surface of the brine and the rims of the jars.
Screw on canning lids. Process in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Wait at least a week before tasting—it takes that long for the flavors to combine and mellow.
Can I grow it myself?
Purslane grows well in orchards, vineyards, crop fields, landscaped areas, gardens, roadsides, and other disturbed sites. Cotyledons (seed leaves) are egg shaped to oblong, hairless, succulent, about 2–5 mm long, and sometimes tinged red. Flowering initiates during May to September. Flowers originate as single or clusters of two to five at the tips of stems. The flowers are small, having orange, yellow, purple, pink or white color with five petals and typically open only on hot and sunny days from mid-morning to early afternoon. Fruit consists of almost round to egg-shaped capsules, usually about 4–8 mm long that open around the middle to release the seeds. Seeds are tiny, less than 1 mm in diameter, circular to egg shaped, flattened, and brown to black with a white point of attachment. Numerous seeds are produced.
Purslane contains oxalates, which have been linked to the formation of kidney stones.
People prone to kidney stones should be careful when eating purslane, especially the seeds. Purslane seeds tend to have higher levels of oxalates than other parts of the plant.
Purslane also tends to be saltier than other vegetables because of its succulent nature. People who prefer low-salt diets should watch their purslane intake to avoid consuming too much salt.
How to Eat Purslane
Purslane can easily be found outdoors during the spring and summer in most parts of the world. The plant reproduces easily and can survive harsh growing environments, so it’s often spotted between cracks in the sidewalk or in untended gardens.
Any purslane plant can be harvested and eaten, as the leaves, stems, and flowers are completely edible. When preparing wild purslane, it’s important to wash the plant carefully to ensure that no pesticides are on the leaves.
Purslane is tart and a little salty, making it a great addition to salads and other dishes. It can be eaten raw or cooked. When added to soups and stew, it thickens the broth nicely.
Here are some ways you can include purslane in your diet:
Add purslane to soups
Sauté purslane as a side dish
Chop purslane and add it to salads for color
Mix purslane into grilled vegetables
Use purslane as a garnish
Sprinkle purslane flowers on fish as a point of interest
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