We have maintained a backyard vegetable garden for over fifty years and have gratefully enjoyed its abundant yields. We have allowed purslane to provide a lush border and provide an additional food source. However, due to my wife’s passing, shifting schedules and commitments I have decided to give the land a well-deserved and overdue
sabbatical.
The ground was not tilled, and the water was turned off. The purslane, however, has decided to flourish and will not be denied.
Purslane is an amazing gift, from a loving
creator, that volunteered and has been with us for many years. I am amazed at its nutritional content being classified as food but treated as a weed by most gardeners. Purslane not only is superior in nutritional content to the foods we grow but also to our medicinal plants like comfrey. I treat it as comfort food (manna from heaven) and enjoy the way it soothes me physically and mentally. It is anti-inflammatory yet stimulating to my immune system.
The following is some previous research I have done on purslane. Enjoy!
Purslane is a little-known food that can sustain life in an emergency and is also a great
medicine. This plant has been a food crop in the past but today is a nuisance to gardeners. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) was Ghandhi’s favorite food, and with good reason. It is a rich source of vitamins A, C, E, B complex, and folates. It has 6 times more beta-carotene than carrots and is the highest green plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, making it the best preventative for cardiovascular disease. It is a great source of minerals including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc,
iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, and selenium. Purslane is rich in flavonoids like quercetin and luteolin and even contains the cell protectant glutathione, linoleic acid, and medicinal terpenoids like lupeol. Herbs are well known for the strong action of alkaloids which purslane contains, but in very safe proportions. These well-known alkaloids include noradrenalin and dopamine, critical for Parkinson’s disease and useful for the rest of us. The betalain
alkaloid pigment (betacyanins) found in the reddish stems is a powerful antioxidant, and betaxanthin (yellow pigment alkaloid) is anti-mutagenic.
When you chew the leaves and stem you will notice that they are very mucilaginous which soothes all tissues in the
body including skin, intestines, and eyes. Purslane is also very anti-inflammatory, which is helpful in arthritis, gout, and fibromyalgia.
Purslane contains melatonin which helps with sleep. It is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. With all these
qualities we should eat it daily instead of pulling it out of our gardens and discarding it.
Purslane is a great ground cover and with its shallow roots does not rob deeper root vegetables in the garden of nutrients. Instead it keeps the ground moist and
brings nutrients closer to the surface to assure a more productive garden.
Purslane is an annual that produces thousands of seeds insuring perpetual benefits year in and year out. This is an essential plant that doesn’t rely on a supply chain, it will be there for you. As an added bonus – it tastes good!
Let us honor Hippocrates and God, instead of stockpiling dangerous medications, learn about, stock up, and use the medicinal foods all around us.
For more information on purslane, see the following article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6461301/
David Christopher is a Master Herbalist, director of The School of Natural Healing, and son of our beloved Dr. John R. Christopher. He is continually helping others improve their health and that of their family members. The School loves having him as
the director.
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