You might have seen portulaca in your yard and thought it was just a nuisance weed. But as it turns out, portulaca is actually a very nutritious plant that can be an important addition to your diet. One of Mahatma Gandhi's favorite foods, it can used in salads, stir-frys, casseroles and many types of dishes.
Identification
Portulaca oleracea is more commonly known as purslane or pigweed. It's an annual succulent, with reddish-brown stems, wedge-shaped leaves and clusters of yellow flowers, which can grow in almost all regions of the globe and has been used in both food and medicine for centuries. There are approximately 40 varieties cultivated, categorized by leaf size and color, length of stem and whether the plant grows horizontally or vertically.
Nutritional Content
The leaves and stems of portulaca contain many nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, oxalic acids, alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, protein, carbohydrates and fiber. Minerals found in the plant include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Portulaca also has vitamins A, C and E, as well as several B vitamins. It contains six times more vitamin E than spinach and seven times more beta carotene than carrots.
Benefits
Portulaca has been used to treat a variety of ailments in various cultures, from anthrax in China to warts in Peru. According to Drugs.com, portulaca's omega-3 fatty acids can have a helpful impact on cholesterol and triglyceride levels, helping to reduce your risk of heart disease, and can strengthen your immune system via its nutrients and antioxidant properties. The plant also secretes a mucilage-type fluid that makes it beneficial for gastrointestinal disorders.
Expert Insight
NIH scientists Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos and Norman Salem published a study of portulaca in "The New England Journal of Medicine" in 1986. They reported that it contains more alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that's the same type found in cold-water fish such as salmon, than any other leafy vegetable. Simopoulos also noted that one serving of portulaca can fulfill your daily requirement for vitamin E while providing significant quantities of ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and glutathione.
Considerations
Because of the mucilage consistency of the plant, you may find that it can taste "slimy." A report in "The New York Times" in July 2006 recommended consuming the plant with good red wine vinegar, which can counteract the slimy consistency. Some people also find the taste to be a bit sour, but chefs say that if you pick portulaca later in the day as it absorbs more sunlight, it will be sweeter. Picked portulaca doesn't last long, so you should keep it in a jar in a cool place with the stems in some cold water, and use it within a couple of days.
Warning
Portulaca is generally considered safe, although it does contain cardiac glycosides and oxalic acids, which can be toxic in larger doses. Drugs.com cautions that you should avoid portulaca if you have a history of kidney stones, as it could increase kidney filtration and urine production, making a stone move. The plant hasn't been well-studied in pregnant and breast-feeding women, and injections of portulaca in animals have produced powerful uterine contractions, although eating portulaca doesn't appear to have the same effects.
References
- Cornell University Department of Animal Science: Portulaca oleracea
- SpringerLink: Nutritional Evaluation of Edible Portulaca oleracia as Plant Food
- "The New York Times": Something Tasty? Just Look Down; Marlena Spieler; July 5, 2006
- The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin: Purslane, Raw
- SpringerLink: Omega-three fatty acids in purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Tissues
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