Plantain Health Dictionary

Musa species

Description: These are treelike plants with several large leaves at the top. Their flowers are borne in dense hanging clusters.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for bananas and plantains in open fields or margins of forests where they are grown as a crop. They grow in the humid tropics.

Edible Parts: Their fruits are edible raw or cooked. They may be boiled or baked. You can boil their flowers and eat them like a vegetable. You can cook and eat the rootstocks and leaf sheaths of many species. The center or “heart” or the plant is edible year-round, cooked or raw.

Other Uses: You can use the layers of the lower third of the plants to cover coals to roast food. You can also use their stumps to get water (see Chapter 6). You can use their leaves to wrap other foods for cooking or storage.... banana and plantain

If you haven’t heard much about plantain tea, it’s time to find out! As an herbal tea, it has a pretty pleasant, earthy taste, as well as many health benefits. About Plantain Tea Plantain tea is made from plantain. It is a perennial plant that grows all around the world, in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The plantain has a tough rhizome with several large, dark green leaves. The flowers of the plant are brown, with four stamens and purple-colored anthers and the fruit is a two-celled capsule with seeds inside it. Many consider this plant to be a weed. However, the leaves are edible, and are often used in salads, or cooked as greens. Plantain Tea constituents Plantain, as an herbal plant, has many important active constituents. They include beta carotene, calcium, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, tannin, and vitamin C. They are all transferred to plantain tea, as well. How to prepare Plantain Tea For a cup of plantain tea, you can use the leaves, roots and/or seeds of the plant. Just add one tablespoon of the dried plants to a cup of freshly boiled water. Let it steep for about 10 minutes, then strain. You can drink it both hot and cold. Plantain Tea Benefits Plantain tea is often used in the treatment of various respiratory problems, as it acts as a mild expectorant. These include asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throats, and coughs. Plantain tea can also be used to lower blood pressure and control sugar blood levels. Drinking plantain tea can help you if you’ve got diarrhea or dysentery. It is also used to treat irritated or bleeding hemorrhoids, kidney and bladder problems, bleeding caused by cystitis, and urinary tract infections. Plantain tea can be used topically, as well. It works as an antivenin, and it also promotes the healing of various wounds, skin inflammations, scars, cuts, rashes, and swellings. It can also be applied to the eye, in case your eyes are irritated. Plantain Tea Side Effects If you’re pregnant, it’s best to avoid drinking plantain tea. It can affect the uterus, which might lead to unwanted miscarriages. It is not known how safe it is to drink plantain tea if you’re breast feeding, but it is recommended to avoid it, just in case it might affect the baby. Don’t drink plantain tea if you’re allergic to any plants part of the plantain family. Also, you might get an allergic reaction from drinking the tea if you’re allergic to melon. Drinking too much plantain tea may lead to some side effects, as well. Generally, it is recommended that you not drink more than 5-6 cups of tea, no matter the type of tea. If you’re drinking too much tea, you might get some of the following symptoms: diarrhea, low blood pressure, headaches, loss of appetite, vomiting, insomnia, dizziness, and irregular heartbeats. Plantain tea helps you stay healthy! It is considered safe for both children and adults. Just be careful with the few side effects and you’re free to enjoy plantain tea!... drink more plantain tea

Plantago species

Description: The broad leaf plantain has leaves over 2.5 centimeters across that grow close to the ground. The flowers are on a spike that rises from the middle of the cluster of leaves. The narrow leaf plantain has leaves up to 12 centimeters long and 2.5 centimeters wide, covered with hairs. The leaves form a rosette. The flowers are small and inconspicuous.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for these plants in lawns and along roads in the North Temperate Zone. This plant is a common weed throughout much of the world.

Edible Parts: The young tender leaves are edible raw. Older leaves should be cooked. Seeds are edible raw or roasted.

Other Uses: To relieve pain from wounds and sores, wash and soak the entire plant for a short time and apply it to the injured area. To treat diarrhea, drink tea made from 28 grams (1 ounce) of the plant leaves boiled in 0.5 liter of water. The seeds and seed husks act as laxatives.... plantain, broad and narrow leaf

Alisma plantago-aquatica

Description: This plant has small, white flowers and heart-shaped leaves with pointed tips. The leaves are clustered at the base of the plant.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for this plant in fresh water and in wet, full sun areas in Temperate and Tropical Zones.

Edible Parts: The rootstocks are a good source of starch. Boil or soak them in water to remove the bitter taste.

CAUTION

To avoid parasites, always cook aquatic plants.... water plantain