Marshmallow: The Healing Power of Slime

Those super sweet treats we all associate with hot chocolate and campfires get their name from the plant they are originally made from: marshmallow.

Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) is a large perennial plant with pink flowers that is native to Africa, but now grows in other parts of the world. Used as food and medicine for thousands of years, the roots are extremely high in mucilage, or a thick and slimy substance extracted with water (think okra, a relative that also has high mucilage content).

For food, the leaves and young above-ground parts were often used as nutritious greenery in the native region. Marshmallow root has a natural sweetness. This, combined with the slime, meant that it was often used to thicken deserts and other sweet dishes. The treat we now know as “marshmallows” probably originated more for its medicinal purposes than as food.

As far back as Egyptian times, a honey-sweetened food made from the root was used to soothe sore throats. What we call marshmallows today was originally made in France from the root of the marshmallow plant. Although popular, they were labor intensive to make and eventually the marshmallow root was replaced with gelatin and egg white to achieve the same consistency. The scientific name of Marshmallow, Althea, comes from the Greek ‘althos’, meaning healer. In ancient times, it was revered for its healing properties and used to soothe many internal and external ailments.

Today the root is still used for its soothing properties. This includes sore throats, stomach and digestive complaints, and all hot and inflamed conditions, especially those affecting the mucous membranes. Externally it helps support wound healing and cools and soothes sunburn, insect bites and rashes. Research examines marshmallow’s ability to soothe irritated mucous membranes, its usefulness in relieving asthma, and the properties of the leaf (Deters et al., 2010; Alani et al., 2015; Razaei et al., 2015).

The next time you’re craving marshmallows, try making old-fashioned real marshmallows. You don’t have to feel guilty because these are good for you too!

Homemade Marshmallows with Marshmallow Root

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon powdered marshmallow root
• 1 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Add the marshmallow root, stir with a whisk and let it boil.
3. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator until cool.
5. Once cooled, strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add more water if necessary until it measures 1 cup.
6. Set half of this mixture aside in another bowl and add the gelatin, stirring until dissolved.
7. Take the other half of the mixture and put it in a saucepan.
8. Add the honey, vanilla and salt. Bring to boil.
9. Using a candy thermometer, heat until the mixture reaches approximately 240°, then remove from heat.
10. Slowly add to the gelatin mixture while mixing slowly with a hand mixer on low.
11. Once combined, continue mixing on high for another 10 minutes, until it forms a marshmallow-cream consistency with peaks.
12. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper.
13. Set aside and let firm up.
14. When it is firm, cut it with a knife to the desired size.

WishGarden Herbs’ formulas with Marshmallow:

References

• Alani B, Zare M, Noureddini M. (2015) Broncodilatory and B-adrenergic effects of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Althea root on isolated rat tracheobronchial smooth muscle, Advanced Biomedical Research, 4:78.
• Deters A., Zippel J, Hellenbrand N, Pappai D, Possemeyer C, Hensel A. (2010) Aqueous extracts and polysaccharides from marshmallow roots (Althea officinalis L.): cellular internalization and stimulation of cell physiology of human epithelial cells in vitro. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 127:1, 62-9.
• Rezaei M, Dadgar Z, Noori-Zadeh A, Mesbah-Namin SA, Pakzad I, Davodian E. (2015) Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Althea officinalis L. leaf extract and its wound healing power in the rat model of excisional wound creation, Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 5:2, 105-12.

Erin Smith has been working with plants for 25 years and is a medical herbalist and ethnobotanist. She is the creator of Plant Passionate Living, an interactive program designed to help people find greater health and vitality through a deeper relationship with plants. Erin is the founder and director of the Center for Integrative Botanical Studies.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.

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