Eat the Weeds

For whatever reason I had never been successful with spinach in my #westernslope garden. And then a handful of years ago I realized the earth was gifting me with something more...plentiful, free easy growing highly #nutrientdense food! #lambsquarters or #wildspinach is the 2nd highest in #nutrition of all #wildfoods. #amaranth is the 1st. Both leaves and seeds are high sources of #protein #iron #viaminC #betacarotene. Protein and iron content is higher than both cultivated spinach and cabbage. The #seeds are also a source of #healthyfat. Various Native American tribes use the plant as both a food source and #medicinally as a remedy for tooth decay and #rheumatic pains. The leaves are high in #oxalicacid (relatedvto formation of kidney stones) content but this can be mitigated somewhat through cooking or with the addition of lemon juice or #calciummagnesium powder when using raw leaves. I love walking out into my yard most mornings to harvest fresh lambquartes and #dandelion leaves for my morning juice smoothie. Caution though, and choose wisely wherevyou harvest from as it tends to accumulate #nitrates when growing in soils that are treated with artificial fertilizers and pesticides. #eattheweeds #theearthshefeedsus #foraging #urbanforaging #plantmedicine #freefood #resist