Herb of the week: Lambs Quarter!
- asnailspaceapothec
- Oct 2, 2023
- 2 min read
Introducing..... lambs quarters! Yes, that is what that picture is to your right! Recognize it? Grows abundantly in your yard, along the sides of the road, and along the garden edge....like a weed. Most people just disregard this as a nuisance and rip it out! STOP that! Do not walk by this plant without knowing a few more important facts about it!
Lambsquarters (also known as white goosefoot, white pigweed, fat hen, and wild spinach) is closely related to quinoa, and the leaves and young shoots are eaten as a leaf vegetable. It is highly nutritious and very healthy. It is loaded with an amount of vitamin A which is higher than in spinach and 2.5 times more than in kale! It is rich in calcium, protein, and fiber. Compared to spinach, lambsquarters has about 2 times more vitamins B1 and B2 and 3 times more vitamin C and calcium!
The raw green leaves can be used in salads, smoothies, and juices and may be steamed, sauteed, curried, or added to soups. Dried, cleaned seeds may be ground and eaten raw or baked into bread or cooked like quinoa by boiling in water.
What's in a Name?
The name lambsquarters, describes its robust ability to grow in pens trampled by destructive lamb hooves. The green leaves are shaped like a goose's foot!
I guarantee if you step outside, you will see this plant growing everywhere, even out of the sidewalk cracks!
Medicinal uses of Lambsquarters:
Use all parts as a poultice for swelling, rheumatism, and arthritis
Chew raw for toothaches
Gelatin capsules filled with Lambsquarter make a potent vitamin
Fun Facts about Lambsquarters:
It is the second highest in the nutrition of all wild foods!
The gritty feel is pollen....rinse well
Lambsquarters seed is excellent bird feed
Dye Color: Bright yellow
So, while I always recommend eating your broccoli as well as other vegetables, now you know you have options that are not only FREE in your own backyard, but are just as nutritious if not MORE than some of those veggies you have stored in the fridge! So get on outside grab a basket or a bag and find yourself some Lambsquarter for dinner tonight!
Thank you for reading and happy foraging!
Love and Mushrooms,
Ginger
(University of the District of Columbia)
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