This Unassuming Weed Is a Nutritional and Medicinal Champion
Lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album), often spelled as “lambsquarters,” is an annual weed that most homeowners want to get rid of. But like other weeds, it’s not a complete villain. You might not like it in your lawn, but it does have its place in the ecosystem and, believe it or not, in your salad or soup bowl. Lamb’s quarters is one of those weeds that’s actually edible and very, very nutritious.
About Lamb’s Quarters
Lamb’s quarters is found just about everywhere – literally. Antarctica is the only place where it doesn’t grow naturally. It’s a weed that will grow in what are called disturbed areas, like compost piles, turned-up dirt, and lawns, but you will often find it in the wild.
The plant grows on an upright stalk with stems and leaves radiating outward. If you look at the plant from above, you’ll see it has what looks like a rosette shape. Leaves are a dull, medium green, and the edges of the leaves are often wavy, although they don’t have to be. Younger plants have a whitish substance on their leaves, and full-grown leaves are about 2 to 3 inches long.
Lamb’s Quarters Is Edible and Very Nutritious
Lamb’s quarters is like dandelion or common purslane; annoying in the garden but great for your health. Exact nutrition numbers vary depending on any foods you mix in while preparing the lamb’s quarters, of course, but in general, one cup of boiled lamb’s quarters leaves has fewer than 60 calories while also packing over 5 grams of protein and nearly 4 grams of fiber. It’s also a terrific source of calcium, potassium, and vitamin A.
While you could eat the leaves raw, it’s better to boil or saute them because of their oxalic acid content (more on that in a later section). Use the leaves as you would spinach; boil, saute, stir-fry, steam – you can do a lot with the leaves.
Oxalic Acid, Saponins, and Allergies Are Concerns
Lamb’s quarters do contain oxalates and saponins. The saponins are in the seeds; these are the same compounds that give quinoa its bitter taste if you don’t rinse the seeds before cooking them. The seeds of lamb’s quarters are edible, but you don’t want to eat too many of them due to the saponins. The result can be a stomachache.
Oxalic acid (or oxalates) is a compound that also exists in spinach and other vegetables. Too much oxalic acid can both block absorption of nutrients and potentially contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Boiling the lamb’s quarters can reduce the oxalic acid content (but not eliminate all of it), and steaming can reduce it a little. Eating the lamb’s quarters with something that contains calcium can help as the oxalic acid may bind to that calcium. Finally, stay well-hydrated as that helps remove oxalic acid from your system.
One more caution concerns allergies. You can be allergic to lamb’s quarters just as you can be allergic to any leafy green.
Some people claim that lamb’s quarters has pain-relieving properties. Supposedly, simmering the leaves of lamb’s quarters and then using them in a poultice will alleviate pain, while the water can relive toothaches. However, these effects haven’t been confirmed through studies, so don’t eschew conventional treatments for these conditions.
You Can Forage for Lamb’s Quarters in Some Cases
Once you learn how to positively identify lamb’s quarters, you can forage for it if you know it grows near where you are. However, you need to be aware of a couple of issues. Lamb’s quarters growing along the side of the road or in areas near industrial or agricultural zones may not be good to eat. The leaves may have been exposed to (and the roots may have soaked up) pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer, along with heavy metals. The extra-high fertilizer exposure can lead to abnormally high levels of nitrates throughout the plant.
If you want to forage for lamb’s quarters, move away from roadsides, avoid plants in backyards that you know were treated with chemicals, and be careful reaching into patches (always know what you’re sticking your hands into). The plant grows in large swathes, so you shouldn’t have to search for tiny plants stuck here and there among others. Younger, smaller plants may have better-tasting leaves.
There are a few lookalikes, but most are of no concern. The one to worry about is young nightshade-family plant leaves that can look similar to young lamb’s quarters. Look for that whitish coloration on the leaves if you find a young plant; if the plant doesn’t have it, don’t eat it.