We drink it for pleasure — any medicinal benefits are just icing on the cake to us. Step 2: Dry the flower heads further by putting them in a clean paper bag or container and setting them in a warm location. Milk thistle is an annual, full-sun plant that germinates in late winter in our climate zone (Ag Zone 7b). It’s an excellent alternative to coffee. In Feb-March, you can either direct sow milk thistle seeds in your garden OR start the seeds indoors in containers (biodegradable cells or deep plastic cells). Milk thistle supplement can be gotten from several health food shops. Milk thistle flower stalks can reach up to 4-5′ tall, producing multiple flower heads on each stalk and multiple stalks on each plant. It may be two to three weeks (or longer) before you notice whether or not milk thistle is having an effect. For dogs silymarin is given as an oral supplement, usually via a pill or capsule. Put 14.3 g (1 tablespoon) of crushed milk thistle in a teapot. “Milk thistle comes in capsules, liquid, or powder,” says Krause. Yes, you can grow milk thistle plants in pots. Milk thistle is a plant named for the white veins on its large prickly leaves.One of the active ingredients in milk thistle is silymarin, which is extracted from the plant's seeds. You can use milk thistle seeds by sprinkling them over your salad or soup. These seeds have an oily taste, are somewhat sweet, but can be bitter at the same time. Keep this in mind when considering their planting location(s), or if you have pets and children. Grind the seeds into a fine powder. Here’s how to use milk thistle for liver detoxification and the best milk thistle extract to use for a healthy liver. Each milk thistle flower contains dozens of seeds, which soon fall from the plant as the flower head matures, dries, and begins to turn brown. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until seeds are lightly toasted. In the spring or fall, plant milk thistle seeds. Milk thistle has been used in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Sprinkle them on salads, cereals or stirfries, stir them in with rice or combine in smoothies. Adult syrphid flies are excellent pollinators and their larvae are voracious predators that consume common plant pests like aphids. Although the liver benefits of milk thistle are praised the most, there are several studies that suggest it can also. He also serves on the board of the Diversified Agriculture Committee for the South Carolina Farm Bureau. A freshly harvested bag of milk thistle flowers with about 6″ of stem left on for easier threshing and handling. Steps. The oil is primarily known for its essential fatty acids. How to use Milk thistle. 2. The best practice is to mix them with other healthy seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. have shown contain powerful antioxidant properties. STEP 1. :)
Was this article helpful? Serve and enjoy! Milk thistle is sometimes used as a natural treatment for liver problems. Just adjust to your taste buds! Use about 1 tablespoon of milk thistle seed powder per cup of tea. Writers / Editors. It is important to always buy from a reputable company and to follow the instructions for taking this herbal remedy. Store the milk thistle seed in a container that’s airtight and put it in a cool place until ready for use. You can make your own trail mix with milk thistle seeds. Milk thistle was one of the most popular liver herb "alteratives" used in European herbalism and folklore, mentioned in books and documented in herbals throughout the ages. Its herbal remedy is known as milk thistle extract. You can grow your own milk thistle tea using the seeds, and enjoy their health-promoting benefits and delicious flavor. have shown that it can limit the spread and progression of cancer. A young milk thistle plant, with hand for size reference. These liver problems include cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders. It converts various compounds into the substances your body needs to function properly and is integral to good health. It helps prevent bone loss in patients who have estrogen deficiency such as in. A milk thistle liver detox is quite simple to do and can be done without the help of a naturopathic doctor or health professional. Grind and Mix into Baked Goods Milk thistle seeds can be easily ground and incorporated into baked dishes like bread. The Importance of Your Liver. Buy pre-packaged milk thistle tea bags, or create your own tea at home. However, the use of milk thistle as an herbal treatment for liver disorders actually dates way back to the Medieval Period. Milk thistle seeds are fairly large, about the size of a small sunflower seed. It takes 2-3 weeks to sprout the seeds. Add honey for flavor. Privacy Policy. Silymarin has antifibrotic properties that help to prevent liver fibrosis. Please be sure to subscribe to Tyrant Farms to see what's in-season out in nature, have fresh seasonal recipes delivered to your inbox and get helpful organic/permaculture gardening & duck keeping tips. As fantastic as its anti-aging properties are, milk thistle uses for the skin don’t stop there. This practice will prevent the plants from spreading. Although the herb has existed for centuries, supplement forms continue to grow in popularity and are used as alternative treatment methods for various ailments. In this article, you’ll learn all about milk thistle (Silybum marianum), including how to grow, identify, and use milk thistle seeds as a delicious tea and medicinal plant. A milk thistle flower ripening and about to open. On warm, sunny spring days, we marvel at the number of pollinators visiting our milk thistle flowers. The spines that are predominant in the leaves are prickly and can easily penetrate deep into your skin. Allow the finished seeds to dry indoors for another 7-10 days before storing in containers. Skippers and butterflies also frequent milk thistle flowers. Many conditions, including type 2 diabetes, are now being linked to oxidative stress, which if left unchecked, leads to oxidative damage. In fact, the buds, roots, leaves, and stalks — the entire plant — is edible. Just like in baked goods, you can add ground milk thistle seeds to your smoothies for a healthy and tasty breakfast. Milk thistle tea is warm and has significant cleansing properties. Steep the bag in hot water for five minutes. We’ve been growing milk thistle in our garden for over a decade and have come to regard it as one of our favorite pollinator plants and tea producers. Note: The beneficial constituents of milk thistle do not readily dissolve in water, so … Silymarin is a flavonoid believed to have antioxidant properties.Milk thistle is sold as an oral capsule, tablet, powder and liquid extract. There are different products on the market that contain the active ingredients and dosage instructions vary. Apart from cost and time, there’s no associated risk with using milk thistle. If you choose to use milk thistle, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. 5. They are not only easy to use but are also easy to cultivate, generating high yields per plant. Place powdered seeds into tea ball. Syrphid fly foraging milk thistle. To do this, put the milk thistle seeds into a blender or a coffee grinder. Adding raw milk thistle seeds to your salads instantly impacts the antioxidant value of your lunch. Once the last flowers ripen their seeds, the plant dies. Put the pan on the stove to boil. My favorite way to use milk thistle seeds is simply to grind them up and sprinkle them on anything and everything I’m eating. In our climate, milk thistle flower heads mature from May-June. Aaron also writes for Edible Upcountry Magazine, WordPress (.com), Daily Harvest Express, and other food and tech-related organizations. Compounds in milk thistle may lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Technically, all parts of the milk thistle plant are edible: Milk thistle sun tea being made on a warm spring day. These can be carefully removed using a butter knife, but you’ll want to wear gloves if you try to avoid getting pricked by the flower spikes. Wearing protective gloves, cut individual flowers from the stalks once the flowers petals turn brown and before the seeds begin to fall out of the fully desiccated flower head. Step 5: Store the milk thistle seed in a container that’s airtight and put it in a cool place until ready for use. Milk thistle is incredibly popular with pollinators, especially bees and various pollinating fly species like syrphid flies. Pappi are white silvery seed heads that form when milk thistle flowers start drying out, usually at the end of the growing season around the months of May to July. Separate research in the journal PLOSOne in 2017 found that silymarin triggered anti-inflammatory activity in white blood cells.