MARSHMALLOW ROOT POWDER

Description

Profile: This herb dates back to ancient Egyptian, Arab, Greek, and Roman times. In traditional folk medicine, it was used to soothe and moisten mucous membranes of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems. This plant was the "root" of the original marshmallow confection. Marshmallow root produces natural mucilage that soothes and moistens mucosal membranes.

Details:

Malvaceae contains marshmallow's mucilage. It's a 2-5-foot-tall herbaceous perennial with soft, velvety, irregularly serrated leaves. Popular herb grown in Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, France, and Bulgaria. The root's mucilage content is maximum in fall and winter, therefore harvest then. In Germany and other European countries, wild marshmallow is threatened. Wildcrafted plant imports and exports are restricted due to scarcity.

Most mallows are edible. Romans loved mallow. Italian botanist Prosper Alpinus said that Egyptians ate mallow. In times of hunger or crop failure, Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern and Asian countries boiled and fried marshmallow with onions and butter. From Greece to Arabia and India, the herb was used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. In Ayurveda, the root was used to diminish vata and raise kapha. It was chilly, sweet, and moistening.

"Althea's specific excellence is calming inflamed tissues," says naturopath John Lust (nephew of naturopathic pioneer Benedict Lust). He also recommends leaf-and-flower tea as a gargle and root infusion to calm the throat. Roots contain more mucilage than leaves, so each is used differently.

We can consume the whole marshmallow like the ancients. Salad ingredients include seeds, leaves, and flowers. The leaves can be steamed like kale or collards, while the root can be boiled and fried.

According to legend, ancient Egyptians made marshmallow-and-honey treats. Gods and royalty ate these delicacies. The first candy like our modern version was manufactured in France in 1850. Marshmallow root was boiled with corn syrup, egg whites, and water by hand until 1900. By 1955, 35 US firms were making the white, fluffy s'mores topping.

NOTICE: DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT IF PREGNANT OR NURSING.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.