PURSLANE

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a very special summer vegetable due to its nutritious values. It is a real survivor as a plant and grows like weed. The succulent (juicy) stem keeps it from drying out. If someone decides purslane is an "invasive weed" and uproots it, it uses the water in the stem to make seeds before it dies, and soon there'll be even more purslane. 

Purslane is very high in Omega 3. In fact, no other green leafy vegetable contains as high Omega 3 fatty acids as purslane does. It is good for lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. It is very low in calories but a rich source of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and copper. It is because of these minerals that purslane is related to bone health, and it may be an excellent food to include in your diet to help maintain strong bones. It also  contains some vitamins (mainly vitamin A, vitamin C, and some vitamin B andcarotenoids).

Purslane can be consumed raw or cooked (Watch this space for some easy and tasty purslane recipes). The stems, leaves, flower buds and even the seeds are all edible. However, consumption of high amounts of stems, just like high amounts of spinach, may cause some health issues such as kidney stones due to the high levels of oxalate in them.

An interesting fact: At night, purslane leaves trap carbon dioxide, which is converted into malic acid (the souring principle of apples), and, in the day, the malic acid is converted into glucose. When harvested in the early morning, the leaves have ten times the malic acid content as when harvested in the late afternoon, and thus have a significantly more tangy taste.

Photo by Tulin Ertuncay