Purslane has much to offer – as an herb with both nutritive and medicinal value.  This Portulaca oleracea species of purslane is full of important vitamins and minerals, as well as other beneficial chemical constituents.

 

From Peterson’s Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs:  “Laboratory tests show the juice to have antimicrobial properties.  Studies have also demonstrated the presence of anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular-protective omega-3 fatty acids.  Science confirms antibiotic and antioxidant activity.  One of the few plants reported to contain L-dopa and noradrenaline (norepinephrine).  This hormone reduces bleeding at the tissue level, suggesting a rational scientific basis for the plant’s use in traditional Chinese medicine to stop postpartum bleeding.” (11)

 

As mentioned earlier, the botanical information in Botany in a Day: The Patterns of Plant Identification mentions that purslane is surprisingly high in carbohydrates, as well as proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamin E.

 

Throughout James Duke’s book, The Green Pharmacy, this common variety of purslane is mentioned for its amazing nutrients and constituents that make it both a nutritive and medicinal herb.  “Exceptionally rich in antioxidants, purslane is the top herb that pops up in my database when looking for combinations of the antioxidant vitamins A,C, and E.  It’s also rich in the compound glutathione, which is both a powerful antioxidant and an immune system booster…  Speaking of glutathione, other vegetables rich in this anti-aging compound include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes and tomatoes.  Fruits with this antioxidant include avocados, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, and watermelon.” (12)

 

“Purslane is high in all of the nutrients that help prevent cataracts – vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and other potent antioxidants, notably glutathione.  Just a half-cup of fresh purslane contains healthy amounts of beta-carotene and vitamins C and E.” (13)

 

“I promote tasty, spinach-like purslane at every opportunity, and here’s a good one.  This easy-to-grow garden vegetable is our best leafy source of beneficial compounds known as omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3’s help prevent the blood clots that trigger heart attack.  They’re the reason that people who eat a lot of cold-water fish like salmon, which is a prime source of these oils, have low rates of heart disease…  In addition, purslane is extremely well-endowed with antioxidants, which also help prevent heart attack as well as cancer.  Finally, these greens contain calcium and magnesium in a one-to-one ratio.  I’ve already mentioned that calcium is good for the heart, but calcium is most protective when you take it in a one-to-one combination with magnesium.  That’s a good argument for eating lots of fresh, leafy purslane.  I eat it raw in salads or steam it, just like spinach.” (14)

 

“Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, highly reactive oxygen molecules in the body.  And they appear to play a key role in preventing heart disease.  I recommend purslane because it’s extremely well-endowed with antioxidants, and in addition, it’s our best leafy source of omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial oils that also help prevent heart disease.” (15)

 

“I searched my database for anti-asthmatic compounds and came up with quite a few herbs worth mentioning.  I found at least 6 anti-asthmatic substances in tea, fennel, and cayenne.  Onion, coriander and bell pepper had 5.  And a large group contained 4:  cabbage, cacao, carrot, cranberry, currant, eggplant, grapefruit, orange, oregano, sage and tomato.  Looking for herbs with the largest amounts of anti-asthma compounds, I found that licorice and tea were the big winners.  Cacao, cardamom, coffee, cola, onion, and purslane looked relatively rich.” (16)

 

“Many people get the urge to eat when they are depressed.  And eating just might help – if you eat the right foods.  Foods containing the minerals magnesium and potassium have been shown to have antidepressant effects.  Purslane, which is very rich in these minerals, is also high in other constituents with antidepressant value, including calcium, folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid) and lithium.  In fact, purslane contains up to a whopping 16% andidepressant compounds, figured on a dry-weight basis.” (17)

 

Mr. Duke mentions another herb advocate, Andrew Weil, M.D., professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, and author of Natural Health, Natural Medicine, who recommends several nutrients for treating psoriasis, including vitamins A, C and E, plus the mineral selenium and alpha-linolenic acid.  In Mr. Duke’s database, purslane is the best plant source of vitamins A, C, and E.

 

He also says “People who advocate juicing for health often stress the importance of getting magnesium from greens to boost stamina and energy.  If you want to get more magnesium, try purslane, string beans, spinach, cowpeas, lettuce, stinging nettle, poppy seeds, licorice root, and coriander.  You could just take a magnesium supplement, but…with supplements, you get one mineral or a few plant chemicals (phytochemicals), but with whole herbs, you get every therapeutic phytochemical in the plant – possibly hundreds.” (18)

 

From the University of Connecticut Integrated Pest Management website, came the following:  “Purslane (Portulaca oleraceae L.), a succulent herb found as a weed throughout the world, has been recently identified as an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid.  Alpha-linolenic is an omega-3 fatty acid, commonly known as fish oil, that plays an important role in human growth, development and disease prevention.  This is an essential fatty acid because it can not be synthesized by humans and has to be ingested.  Purslane is receiving much attention for cultivation by the United States Department of Agriculture as part of their effort to bring about a modification in the western diet with increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.”   “…Purslane, also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E and the essential amino acids, has been described as a power food of the future because of its high nutritive and antioxidant properties.” (19)