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Garlic Sauce for Fried Burdock Root
[“The Herbalist”]
[Note: this recipe accompanied the article entitled “Beautiful Burdock” in the Fall 1998 (Vol. 22 #3) edition of Health And Healing Wisdom]
Arctium lappa, or burdock, is an herb with a long and illustrious history, both in folklore and medicine. Shakespeare made reference to burdock in Troilus and Cressida, King Lear, and As You Like It:
ROSALIND: How full of briers is this working-day world!
CELIA: They are but burrs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday follery. If we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch them.
The seed heads of burdock are hooked and attach themselves to everything that they touch, allowing for easy dissemination of the plant. Burdock will thrive almost anywhere. When fully grown, the plant has large, wavy leaves with round heads of purple flowers and grows to a height of about three feet. It is the root of this stout plant, however, that holds the bulk of its medicinal powers.
The roots of the first year’s growth are collected for their medicinal action and used to treat everything from eczema to cancer. Burdock is the main ingredient in the ESSIAC tea blend, made famous by Canadian nurse Renee Caisse, who claimed to have received the blend’s formula from an Indian medicine man. Indeed, some researchers have isolated what they call “the B factor” from burdock root and have identified it as a potent anti-cancer compound. Burdock root has many other uses, however, making it a very versatile plant for the home herbalist.
Active constituents
The two main constituents of burdock are mucilage and inulin. Mucilage is a slimy substance found in plants such as marsh-mallow, slippery elm, and licorice. When a plant with mucilage in it is placed in water, the water will liberate the mucilage from the plant, making the water feel slippery. Mucilage is actually a complex polysaccharide that cannot be completely broken down by the digestive tract. It is absorbed intact by the body and literally lubricates the mucous membranes. Needless to say, mucilaginous plants are strongly indicated whenever the mucous membranes are inflamed or irritated. Bronchitis, pneumonia, cystitis, and kidney stones are just a few uncomfortable conditions which can be ameliorated by mucilage-containing plants.
Inulin is a complex carbohydrate that is found in other medicinal herbs, most notably elecampane, the great respiratory healer. Inulin has a tonic effect on the immune system and, because of its long digestion time, beneficial for those with blood sugar problems.
Great Burdock
Burdock root also contains appreciable amounts of vitamin C and fiber. In times past, burdock root was one of the main plants used to treat scurvy.
Main uses
Burdock’s great reputation is mostly due to its alterative, or blood purifying, abilities. Alterative herbs (burdock, red clover, yellow dock, and garlic are just a few) gently but surely stimulate and tone the body’s eliminative channels, leading to rejuvenation. Burdock is beneficial for the skin, kidneys, liver, lymph nodes, and bowel, prompting the removal of toxins and wastes which ultimately leads to systemic healing.
Burdock is particularly indicated for skin troubles such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Burns, skin ulcers, leprosy, and boils also will respond well to burdock. To use burdock for skin ailments, it is important to use it both internally and externally. One can drink one half cup of the infusion, three to four times a day (or take the extract as directed on the label), and apply the warm infusion as a wash or fomentation to the affected skin area. To increase the action, it is wise to combine burdock with another alterative herb such as red clover or yellow dock.
Burdock is of value in treating fevers as it is a diaphoretic; take the hot infusion with a little honey and bundle up in a blanket to induce perspiration. Kidney stones, bladder infections (cystitis), and any renal complaint can be helped by burdock as the mucilage in it will help soothe the irritated membranes of the urinary tract.
Before the advent of penicillin, burdock was one of the main herbs used to treat and resolve gonorrhea, syphilis, and scrofula (tuberculosis of the cervical lymph nodes). Obviously, burdock has some powerful anti-bacterial qualities.
Preparation and dosage
To make the infusion, steep 2 ounces of the dried root in 16 ounces of very hot water, covered, for 20 minutes. Refrigerate if necessary. Since burdock is nontoxic, higher doses can be taken more frequently. Four ounces, 3-4 times a day, is the standard dose for adults.
To make the decoction, simmer 4 ounces of the dried root in 3 pints of water for 30 minutes; strain and sweeten as you like, allow to cool, bottle, and refrigerate. Since a decoction is stronger than an infusion, take only 2 ounces, 3-4 times a day. If you’re using a commercially prepared extract or tincture, follow the label’s instructions.
Burdock as food
Burdock root, also known as gobo, is a popular root vegetable in Japan and, by extension, Hawaii, where it can be bought in almost any supermarket. Burdock is added to fish dishes, soups, salads, or is prepared by itself.
Garlic Sauce for Fried Burdock Root
- 3 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, garlic, and molasses. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool, bottle, and refrigerate.
Stephen Byrnes is a Naturopathic Doctor and Certified Nutritionist. He is the author of Overcoming AIDS With Natural Medicine, and numerous magazine articles. Call (808) 739-1415 for info on his books and services. E-mail: [email protected]
Published in Health & Healing Wisdom
Fall 1998 | Volume 22, Number 3
Copyright © 1998 Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, Inc.®
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