carrots
long, thick
nourishing, toning, cleansing
slow, steady, takes time.
tonic
Burdock is quite useful. Its roots, also called Gobo, are used as a vegetable. Is it a miracle, since it contains calcium, chromium, cobalt, inulin, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, proteins, selenium, silicon, vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin ) contains ), and zinc?
Vitamin C can be found in fresh carrots. Eaten or taken for a long time, it forms an extremely nutritious tonic. Burdock’s roots contain 45% inulin polysaccharides, a large part of its healing properties. Inulin is considered a prebiotic and provides good nutrition for intestinal bacteria.
All about burdock
As I said, the roots are eaten like carrots or parsnips. They can be roasted, baked or steamed.
They can also be dried and roasted to make a rich, bitter decoction, similar to coffee. I like to mix the roasted roots with roasted dandelion and chicory roots and add chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, fennel and bay leaf.
The petioles and flower stems can also be eaten. Simply scrape away the fluffy hairs and add them to soups, stir-fries or casseroles.
The seeds can be sprouted and eaten on sandwiches and salads.
Burdock also has a lot to offer from a medical point of view!
Burdock is best known for its use as a blood purifier or alternative, although it has other uses as well. It is a diuretic, diaphoretic and emollient. What can we say about burdock just by learning this? Well, its soothing actions tell us that it is a protective herb and its tendency to cleanse the blood, kidneys, bladder and other impurities of the body through sweating tells us that it really enjoys cleaning the house , especially when a thorough cleaning is needed!
Bur Oil is a well-known and used oil in Europe, made from an infusion of the roots in oil. Bur oil is mainly used on the hair to reduce thinning hair, improve growth, strength and shine and also provide relief from dandruff and an itchy, irritated scalp.
Due to its strong effect on the liver, Burdock helps with skin rashes such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. Internal infusions and external oils or tinctures will help heal the cause of these irritations. They must be taken several times a day for at least 3 weeks before any improvement is seen, and sometimes longer, but it is worth the time for the results.
Due to its affinity with the kidneys, liver and gallbladder, Burdock can also be used to stimulate bile production.
Burdock is known as a nutritious and rejuvenating agent. It is often given to people who are sick. The root is easily digestible by the body and helps the body recover from debilitating illness by providing deep-rooted nourishment.
If you use burdock root, don’t expect quick results as it works slowly and takes time to work its magic. With daily use, it may take 1 to 3 years before you see results. But it’s more than worth the wait! Over time, its alternative and adaptogenic actions help restore the body to health.
While the roots are better suited for treating chronic diseases, the seeds are more suitable for acute conditions.
Burdock seed has an affinity with the kidneys. Its diuretic effect helps with problems with dropsy, bladder infections, urinary tract infections, weak and irritated bladder, kidney and urinary tract irritations and it also removes uric acid!
When used daily, an oil made from the seeds and/or roots can strengthen and nourish hair follicles. Massage a few drops into the scalp to also help remove dandruff. Make sure you take burdock root internally so that it can work through the liver on the irritations of your scalp.
The leaves are often left out in herbal remedies, but they also provide some amazing healing benefits. The Amish use Burdock leaves to treat burns with great success, especially second and third degree burns. I have had several success stories using burdock leaf and always have some on hand for burns year round.
The leaves help relieve pain, promote healing and prevent infections. As an anti-inflammatory, the same technique of applying burdock leaves can be used for sprains, strains and other inflammations in the body.
The leaves also contain mild antibacterial properties. This means it is good at killing germs, which is useful when treating burns and other external wounds.
The roots should be harvested between the first and second year of growth. You can harvest them in the fall of the first year, or in the spring of the second year, before they put up a stem. After the stem begins to emerge, the root becomes woody and full of holes and is no longer valuable for medicine as the plant puts all its energy into growing its stem and flowers.
The leaves can be harvested and dried for year-round use in poultices and teas. You can harvest from first or second year plants. When you harvest the leaves for drying, cut out the central vein so that the leaves dry evenly.
The seeds are harvested after the seed heads turn brown. The heads contain fine fiberglass-like hairs that can irritate your skin, eyes and lungs, so you must be careful when removing the seeds from the flower heads. Once you’ve separated the seeds, store them in a jar in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.
Burdock roots and seeds can be tinned, infused into oil, or boiled down to use as medicine. I like to make them separately.
The roots can also be added to vinegar.
The leaves are generally simply dried and used for burns by blanching them in boiling water, cooling them, and then wrapping them around the burn.
Nice Burdock related videos and resources
Do you want to learn how to make roasted carrots with your children? Check out my new Monday Making series. This week’s episode is about making Burdock Roasted Carrots! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwi_8ZMKD2s
Would you like to listen to “Burdock Gets Noticed”? This story is from the Burdock issue of Herbal Roots zine and can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDrIwLk-MAk
Roasted Burdock Root Chai
A perennial favorite in our home! Chai is a Middle Eastern word that means “tea,” but here in America we’ve adapted the term to mean a very spicy tea made with milk and sweetener.
1 cup roasted burdock root
6 tablespoons fennel or anise seeds
1 tablespoon green cardamom pods
1 tablespoon Cloves
6 Cinnamon sticks crushed
2 tablespoons dried ginger root
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
12 Bay leaves broken into pieces
Optional: honey and milk
Mix the ingredients in a quart jar, shake and stir until well blended.
This is how you make the chai:
Add 1 tablespoon of mixture per cup of water, simmer for 5 minutes, then steep for 10 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of honey or dandelion syrup (see later in the chapter for the recipe) per cup. Add 2 tablespoons of milk or cream per cup and stir.
To enjoy!
Want to learn MORE about Burdock? Check out our eBook about this soothing plant!