What is garlic mustard good for?
Medicinally-speaking, Garlic Mustard is a warming bitter so it aids digestion, increases digestive secretions, and improves nutrient assimilation. It has immune-stimulating compounds (like the allicin) and is especially good for infections in and excess phlegm in the lungs. While it is usually found in the undergrowth of disturbed woodlots and forest edges, recent findings have shown that garlic mustard has the ability to establish and spread even in pristine areas.The name garlic mustard comes from the garlic smell that its leaves and stems give off when crushed. This plant is indeed edible and should be harvested young when it’s less bitter.Garlic mustard, also known as ‘Jack-by-the-hedge’, likes shady places, such as the edges of woods and hedgerows. It can grow to over a metre tall and has small white flowers that appear from April.Garlic mustard has a two-year life cycle, with two distinctive identification features. The first year plants grow in clusters called basal rosettes; this is the stage where a strong root system is developed and the plant overwinters. The leaves are dark green and kidney-shaped.The difference between these plants is that wild mustard is found growing in open fields and has a yellow bloom, while garlic mustard is usually found growing in and around forests and has a white flower.
Can people eat garlic mustard?
Eating Garlic mustard is straightforward. It can be eaten raw, if very clean or cooked. It has a garlicky spinachy taste so works well with many ingredients. In like to chop up a leaf or two and mix them in with other spring greens, which I steam. As with many plants found in the park, there are historical medicinal uses for garlic mustard, ranging from treating bronchitis to gangrene. Perhaps more relevant to our casual use in the woods is making a poultice to relieve the itching of bug bites. Try crushing a leaf and rubbing it on your bite.All parts of the plant are edible and nutritious and contain Vitamins A and C, and many trace minerals. As with many plants found in the park, there are historical medicinal uses for garlic mustard, ranging from treating bronchitis to gangrene.As the name suggests, the leaves of garlic mustard Alliaria petiolata do have a flavour combining mild elements of both garlic and mustard, although with an unusual lingering and delightful cheesiness.Aside from its fragrant and tasty properties, garlic mustard has a whole lot of medicinal benefits. Traditionally, the plant was used as an antiseptic for wounds and eaten as a diuretic. It’s also rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E.
What is another name for garlic mustard?
Its aliases are Poor Man’s Mustard, Hedge Garlic, Garlic Root and Jack-by-the-Hedge. It is called garlic mustard because its leaves have a garlic smell when they are crushed. Garlic mustard has a two-year life cycle and appears different in its first and second years of growth. Its young leaves produce a garlic smell when crushed. As leaves mature, this odor fades.Why is Garlic Mustard Bad? Garlic mustard is a threat to the biodiversity—the variety of life on Earth and in a habitat—of many native ecosystems. This plant spreads its seeds in the wind and gains a foothold in fields and forests by emerging earlier in spring than many native plants.Mustard can last indefinitely without becoming inedible or harmful, though it may dry out, lose flavour, or brown from oxidation.
Does garlic mustard smell like garlic?
When crushed, the plant, and especially the leaves, smell strongly of garlic. Interestingly, according to John Wright the plant only tastes of garlic and mustard when crushed, result of certain chemical reactions occurring during the crushing. Garlic mustard greens are high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as trace minerals, chlorophyll and enzymes. The roots taste like horseradish and can be pickled or used in soups as a root vegetable. The seeds when ground make a fabulous mustard sauce and the dried greens can be made into a paste like wasabi.The roots taste like horseradish, pungent and spicy, while the edible seeds boast a garlic flavor. If you squeeze the plant’s leaves, you’ll also notice a distinct garlic aroma and a taste that hovers between garlic and mustard greens, hence the name of the plant.Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata): Plant Profile Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and wound-healing properties. Supports respiratory and urinary tract health. Detoxifying: promotes digestion, diuresis, and blood cleansing.Garlic Mustard is allelopathic, which means that its roots produce chemicals (including glucosinates, sinigrin and cyanide) that change soil chemistry and prevent other species from growing nearby. Some of these chemicals are also present in the leaves, which deter herbivores from eating the plant.Can You Eat Garlic Mustard? Yes, garlic mustard is edible. Harvest young, when it’s less bitter (older plants need to be cooked thoroughly as they contain cyanide) to add spice to dips, sauces, salads and stir fries.
Where can I find garlic mustard?
Garlic mustard grows in a wide range of habitats and spread quickly along roadsides, trails, and fence lines. Seeds fall close to the parent plants and are rarely dispersed by wind or water. As with many plants found in the park, there are historical medicinal uses for garlic mustard, ranging from treating bronchitis to gangrene. Perhaps more relevant to our casual use in the woods is making a poultice to relieve the itching of bug bites. Try crushing a leaf and rubbing it on your bite.Although garlic mustard was originally introduced from Europe for use in cooking, few insects or wildlife will readily eat the plant. One group of beetles, however, does feed almost exclusively on garlic mustard: European weevils of the genus Ceutorhynchus.Antimicrobial properties – some research indicates the power of mustard to fight infections in wounds or in the digestive tract. This can be topical or ingested. Topical application can also help with pain relief.
What vitamins are in garlic mustard?
Being a member of the mustard family, it has many small seeds which mature in August. The seeds even taste like garlic. All parts of the plant are edible and nutritious and contain vitamins A, C, and many trace minerals. Garlic mustard is easy to pull by hand and efforts to remove it can work wonders for your yard and garden. Focus your control efforts on the second year (seed-producing) plants, as removing these prevents further seed dispersal.Garlic Mustard is a short-lived perennial with a two-year life cycle. If you’re controlling a large area of Garlic Mustard, focus first on second-year plants to reduce seed production.Can You Eat Garlic Mustard? Yes, garlic mustard is edible. Harvest young, when it’s less bitter (older plants need to be cooked thoroughly as they contain cyanide) to add spice to dips, sauces, salads and stir fries.Garlic mustard requires committed removal to control its spread. Removal should be done in the spring, before flowering and seed pod formation. Seed capsules release 100 to 10,000 seeds per year. Garlic mustard can continue to set seed after being pulled, so it should be removed before flowering.
How to store garlic mustard?
Cover the garlic mustard with a moist cloth and store in a sealed bag or airtight container inside the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. On a basic level, mustard is one of the lowest calorie and lowest cholesterol condiment options. It is rich in calcium, potassium, niacin, and magnesium — all important minerals that are known to have health benefits.Mustard is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which are proven to improve risk factors for heart attacks, such as: reducing blood pressure, raising HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels, and reducing arterial plaque and inflammation.The Bottom Line To sum things up: It’s OK to keep unopened mustard out of the fridge—just make sure to use it up before it expires. Once opened, keep it in the fridge to preserve its freshness, flavor and color. If you prefer room-temp mustard, portion out a small amount in advance.The bottom line Mustard is most commonly eaten as a condiment, but mustard seeds and leaves are two additional ways to reap this plant’s potential health benefits. These range from lower blood sugar levels and reduced inflammation to increased protection against infection.