The marshmallow is a perennial plant, belonging to the Malvaceae family, native to Europe.
The stem is straight, with few branches and pubescent. As for its leaves, they are soft to the touch, alternate, oval, toothed and with slightly marked lobes.
The flowers, pale pink or white in color and of regular size, are provided with a double calyx, and the fruit is similar to that of a mallow.
The Greek and Roman civilizations already used the marshmallow for its medicinal properties, to relieve digestive problems and as a natural disinfectant.
The marshmallow reproduces by seeds. It is a species that grows wild in humid and cool areas. It usually appears close to watercourses or the coast, since it withstands the salinity of the soil well, but it also appears on humid land in flat areas. Its cultivation in orchards should be done in the shade.
The roots, leaves and flowers are used. The root must be dried in the sun, since it contains a lot of water. The leaves are collected after flowering, which occurs in June, and the flowers are collected in full bloom. Both leaves and flowers must be dried before being consumed. The root has a high content of mucilage and starch.
healing properties
Marshmallow has emollient, balsamic, laxative and calming properties. The flowers and roots of the plant contain a thick, sticky substance called mucilage. This substance, according to research, improves inflammation of the mucous membranes, especially the respiratory and digestive tracts.
In this sense, the mucilage can help stop coughing. Therefore, it is very effective in treating coldsflu, bronchitisamong others.
Indeed, in the 19th century, doctors cooked a preparation made from the juice of the marshmallow roots, the whites of egg and sugar, and mixed them into a frothy meringue that hardened, thus creating a medicinal confection used to soothe ailments. pain and irritation of the throat of the kids. Even at the turn of the last century, competing against two other remedies in an eastern European study of cough suppressants, marshmallow outperformed both.
The marshmallow is also used to combat digestive system problems, such as stomach aches and gastritis.
Externally, this plant is suitable for making poultices to improve skin irritation problems, wounds, boils, inflammations and eczema. Also used as laxative.
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folk remedies
Remedy with marshmallow for a sore throat: Pour a cup of boiling water over a teaspoon of shredded dry root. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Take two or three a day.
Remedy with marshmallow for gastritis: Boil, for 10 minutes, in three cups of water a tablespoon of marshmallow and ginger. Then add a tablespoon of meadowsweet. Let stand for 10 minutes. Take this preparation three times a day.
Remedy with marshmallow for burns: Pour 2 handfuls of shredded marshmallow leaves into half a liter of hot water and leave to rest for 8 hours. Apply, as a compress, on the affected area.
Remedy with marshmallow for the flu:. Mix equal parts marshmallow, borage, plantain, thyme and lungwort and extract 1 tbsp. Pour in 1 cup of boiling water. Take 3 to 4 cups daily
Remedy with marshmallow for boils: Boil for 10 minutes in a liter of water a handful of marshmallow roots. After that time, remove from heat and let cool. Soak a cotton ball and put on the boil.
#1 Marshmallow Cough Remedy. Crush 1 piece of marshmallow root, previously washed and chopped, in a mortar until reduced to a very fine powder. Take two or three teaspoons of calé a day, in jam or honey, or in wafers.
Marshmallow Cough Remedy #2 Macerate, for twenty-four hours, 100 g of dry roots in a liter of cold water. Filter and dissolve 150 g of sugar in the boiling water. Once cool, pour the syrup into a dark glass bottle. Have a drink before going to bed. This remedy has two functions: It makes To fall asleep and combat, at the same time, the cough especially the night.
Also know Marshmallow: Benefits and contraindications
Remedy with marshmallow for urinary infections Mix, in equal parts, leaves of yarrow, plantain, marshmallow, baby nettles and the aerial part of the goldenrod. Crush and extract a tablespoon and pour into a cup of boiling water. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes, strain and drink up to 2 cups a day until the urinary infection yield.
Marshmallow remedy for osteoarthritis: Boil, for 5 minutes, a handful of marshmallow root and horsetail in a quarter of a liter of water. Remove from heat, let cool and strain. Take this preparation throughout the day.
Precautions
Diabetics should be careful when consuming marshmallow, as high doses can drastically vary blood sugar. Learn more marshmallow contraindications and side effects
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