Forage for real medicine - Lambs Quarters

Lamb’s quarters seem to have had rather limited medical application in the past, but there are some references to its uses as a medicinal herb in European and North America traditional medicine.

The plant was used traditionally as an herbal remedy for eczema, rheumatic pains, gout, colic, insect stings and bites. Also a decoction made from the herb was used to treat tooth decay.

The sap extracted from the plant stems was used to reduce freckles and treat sunburns. It has recently been confirmed that lamb’s quarters can have a positive effect on chronic wounds and that it has a mild laxative effect.
Various native North American tribes used the plant both as a food source and herbal medicine.

The Native Americans used the herb in the form of a decoction which was consumed to “improve the blood”. As a cooked vegetable the plant was used for its overall health benefits and as a preventive method for scurvy.

A decoction was used both externally for cleansing and internally for painful legs.

The leaves and stems were boiled with beans to curb stomach aches and to reduce bowel gas production caused by the beans. Furthermore, wraps were made from the leaves and used as a treatment for burns.