There are a number of therapeutic herbs that are widely used but frequently forgotten. Purslane, Pepper Elder, and Thyme-Leaved Spurge are all common wild plants in Vietnam. They are even referred to as "panacea" because of their ability to cure a variety of illnesses.
Those who live in the Western areas of the world may not be familiar with them, yet they are both edible and medicinal. If you're in Vietnam, you'll rarely see them anyplace other than on the side of the road or in random places in people's gardens. However, if you speak with the locals, they may be able to show you these. Hehe. (You might not pay for those if your local neighbors are kind enough hehe)
1. Pepper Elder - Iron plants
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Pepper Elder is the name for some plants. They can grow in bushes at the edges of ponds, lakes, fields, rocky slopes, and other terrains as wild plants. Pepper elder is not only used to make tasty foods, but it is also used as medicines. They are, without a doubt, my iron supplement. They're fantastic in my avocado-pepper elder smoothie.
I don't grow them, to be honest. They do, however, continue to thrive. So every two or three weeks, I return to my garden to find them growing up and ready to harvest.
When it comes to eating them, there are a few options. You may dry them to make tea or keep them raw and fresh or a smoothie, but the ideal way to eat them is a salad with beef, onions, lemon juice, and additional seasonings to taste.
Purslane - the plants of anti-aging
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Purslane. Wow, I didn't know they were edible till my mom just took them from my neighbors' garden. Mom said that was her childhood eating these with Vietnamese shrimp sauce soup. So nice to have them 100% organic, boiled, to be paired with the flavourful cooked sauce.
Purslane's mucilage protects the stomach lining, reducing inflammation and the risk of stomach ulcers. Purslane is at its peak in the summer, therefore we can use fresh purslane to make a drink or drink its juice to aid weight loss while also cooling and cleaning the body.
GOTU KOLA - HERB OF LONGEVITY
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Gotu kola is used to produce a variety of excellent meals, including raw gotu kola combined with beef, fried gotu kola, steaming chicken feet with gotu kola, and gotu salad... Soup with gotu kola, my favorite, ect. Gotu kola, on the other hand, has more yin and might cause stomachaches. Don't consume too much of them.
My father told us about a day when he and his buddies went into the bush and came across a lot of gotu kola along a stream They fried them and drank a lot of them since they were very hungry. As a consequence, they fell slept unintentionally for the next 12 hours. That is interesting ;)
It's hard to make a nice Kotu Kola smoothie since it's difficult to mix it with anything else. However, when combined with sweetened cow milk and mung beans cooked and blendered, its juice is delicious. I'd rather try it without any sweeteners. It smells wonderful, and the flavor is a unique blend of bland and aromatic.
Eclipta prostrata - Keep you from looking old :)
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The plant is a medicinal plant with a "cold" element (in Oriental medicine, yin (for cold), and yang (for warm). It is non-toxic and has a sweet and sour flavor. Healing hypothermia, stomach pain, mending mouth sores, treating diarrhea, and blackening hair and beard are only a few of the plant's medicinal uses. (Yes, if you eat this frequently, your hair will return to its original color.)
Today the plant is still so popular as a wild plant but few people understand how to use it. My early recollections of chewing the plant and applying it to my little wounds (help with hemostasis) are still here anytime I get to see them. We could scarcely see any of these natural plants anymore because of the concrete roads and attached buildings these days, but they are still available if I walk a little further out of the city center, just now there are no kids playing and chewing the plants no more.
Plantago asiatica
Plantago asiatica's most common usage is to help the kidneys filter urine, therefore it's commonly used to produce diuretic tea liquid to cleanse the body. Pregnant women, on the other hand, should avoid taking them too frequently... since they can be harmful.
These medicinal veggies can be found all across Vietnam, yet the majority of the people I know have never heard of them. Pepper elder and gotu kola may be used to create delicious meals. If utilized for a long period, the healing qualities can assist individuals ease a variety of health issues, too.
Thanks for reading.