Meet epazote

This plant, native to Central and South America, is one of my favorite medicinal and culinary plants to harvest from the canyons of the Sierra la Lagunas. It is traditionally used in Mexican cuisine to season beans, stews, tamales, molés and other dishes. Besides its unique flavor with hints of oregano, creosote and mint, it alleviates gas and bloating caused by legumes and cruciferous veggies. • On the medicinal front it is a powerful anti-parasitic for intestinal parasites for both humans and domestic animals. A tea is made and taken in moderate amounts. A cautionary note...epazote can be toxic if taken in excess, but in moderate amounts has been a safe and effective remedy for centuries. • Epazote boasts an impressive nutritional profile containing Vitamins A, B and C and its mineral offerings include calcium, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium and potassium. Most impressive is its B vitamin content, delivering 6 B vitamins, folic acid in particular. It can provide more than 50% of the daily recommended amount of folic acid in one serving. Its antioxidant properties can help protect skin from free radical damage. • The word epazote finds its roots in Nahuatl, which is the language of the Aztecs and still spoken today in parts of Mexico. • #epazote #traditionalmexican #cuisine#herbs #wildcrafting #foragedfood#eattheweeds #antiparasitic#functionalnutrition #wildfoodlove #baja#ancestrallifeways