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Why You Should Reconsider Removing Redroot Pigweed From Your Garden
By SAKSHI KHAITAN
Redroot pigweed, often dismissed as a mere weed, actually boasts a plethora of benefits. It is used as savory greens in several cuisines, especially Mexican and Indian cooking.
This weed is often harvested for its leaves, which taste similar to spinach, and nutty seeds that serve as delicious substitutes for cereal or
are added to salads
when sprouted.
Young, tender leaves and early shoots can be eaten raw in salads, whereas the protein-rich seeds can be roasted, popped, or ground into a bread-making powder.
The older leaves can be steamed or sautéed to make them less bitter or be brewed as herbal tea to relieve throat infections, ulcers, and menstrual bleeding.
Even its hardy stem can be boiled and eaten. Rich in minerals like zinc, copper, and magnesium, redroot may help treat conditions like fevers, headaches, and digestive issues.
It can serve as a topical treatment for insect bites and rashes. Redroot is an ideal companion plant, luring in helpful insects like ground beetles that target leaf miners.
Moreover, its unique capacity to absorb significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide underscores its role in promoting
environmental sustainability.