Chickweed is a plant commonly found throughout America and Europe. It has white star-shaped flowers throughout the year. They are known as winterweed, starweed.
Stellar media, Chickweed Benefits, is an annual and perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceous. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world. This species is used as a cooling herbal remedy, and grown as a vegetable crop and ground cover for both human and poultry consumption.
What is Chickweed Tea
Chickweed tea is a soothing herbal tea brewed from the fresh leaves of the chickweed plant, which bears the scientific name Stellar media. This plant grows all over the world but is most commonly found in Northern Europe and North America. Among other common names, this plant is referred to as chickenwort, chick wattles, tongue grass, maroon, and winter weed. In terms of taste, the tea has a very herbal flavour, reminiscent of a strong pesto or fresh grass.
However, the taste doesn’t linger, and the tea is considered quite light in comparison to stronger green teas. While you don’t benefit from all the nutrients of the plant when you brew the tea, you do get a decent amount of the antioxidants and water-soluble vitamins, such as riboflavin, potassium, vitamins C, B, and D, as well as flavonoids, beta-carotene, and other powerful active ingredients
Chickweed has long been used for healing and soothing purposes, such as reducing inflammation and fighting germs. It may also promote weight maintenance and act as an expectorant when you’re sick.
For hair care, chickweed helps to soothe the hair and scalp as well as hydrating them. It also brings many needed vitamins to the hair, such as vitamin c. Your skin can greatly benefit from chickweed as well.
Used for traditional/ethnobotanical uses
- Asthma
- Conjunctivitis
- Blood disorders
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatic pains.
It has been consumed for medicinal properties and is used for constipation, ulcers, stomach and bowel problems, blood disorders, obesity, lung diseases, vitamin C deficiency and rabies.
Some of them take orally to cure skin related ailments such as ulcers, boils etc. It’s also eaten in salads.
Few Benefits of Chickweed
- Helps in digestion.
- Reducing weight loss.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Fight germs and promote wound healing.
- Relieving Joint Pains.
- Increasing Healing Process.
- In the treatment of respiratory problems.
- In Treating Skin Conditions.
Downside and Side Effects
Consuming excessive amounts of chickweed can cause
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Allergies
- Rashes
- Upset stomach due to compounds like saponins.
- Strictly No for Mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Talk with your medical practitioners regarding the dosage of the chickweed as there is no clinical evidence for correct dosage.
- Apply the whole chickweed plant on the skin to avoid inflammation.
- Consume as hot tea providing calming and soothing effects.
- Make an infused oil and use in your bath.
- Eat raw leaves which can be used in soups, pizzas and pasta.
- Used in dips such as pestos or hummus.
- Essential oils are used for topical reasons not for consumption.
Chickweed is a common plant which has been used for medicinal properties. Animal and test tube studies suggest that there may be many applications in disease protection and obesity prevention. However, it should not be used without prior permission from the healthcare provider.
See Also: Buttermilk
