Is Purslane Used For Health?

The persistent plant known as purslane strikes fear into the hearts of lawn owners while delighting health food fanatics. Full of nutrients and tangy flavor, Portulaca oleracea enjoys a stellar reputation in Mediterranean cooking---even as American gardeners send the plentiful weed to the landfill. Look for the low-lying, sprawling herb between sidewalk cracks, along the margins of your lawn and in gravel. Learning about the health benefits of the tiny, plant-bearing leaves and reddish stems may soon have you reaching for your harvest basket rather than your garbage bag.

Omega-3 and Glutathione

"The Journal of Nutrition" gives special mention to purslane's presence in the Mediterranean diet, especially the Crete region. The people of Crete, an area that boasts a lower death rate than many parts of the world, regularly include purslane in their diet. Eggs from the area's free-range chickens also contain nutrients from the purslane that the chickens consume. This high intake of purslane significantly contributes omega-3 fatty acids, according to the medical publication. Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. In addition, purslane is one of the richest food sources of glutathione, a compound with antioxidant properties that appears to help "detox" your body of harmful substances.

Vitamins and Minerals

According to Drugs.com, purslane is high in a number of vitamins and minerals. Key vitamins found in purslane include A, B, C and E. Purslane contains the minerals magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Additional Properties

The diuretic and mucilaginous properties of purslane make it useful for treating ailments of the digestive or urinary tracts, according to Drugs.com. As a gentle diuretic, it may help you flush your system of excess fluids, while its mucilaginous texture may help coat your intestines, allowing for gentle elimination. As a topical wash, purslane's antifungal and antimicrobial powers may make it useful for dental problems, rashes and acne, according to the medical website.

Tips

Wild-food author Steve Brill suggests chopping fresh purslane stems and leaves into green salads, or using the wild herb to thicken soups. Pickle the stems to add depth to their sweet-and-sour flavor, or dredge them in flour to top casseroles. Purslane "tea" made from the fresh cuttings contributes some nutrients, but the stems and leaves resist drying for tea, according to Brill. Foragers with huge amounts of the weedy herb sometimes partially dry purslane to harvest seeds for use in cereals and baked goods, Brill says.