The ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has been used in various dosage forms for centuries to relieve dry coughs due to its expectorant effect. The leaves of the herb, which is found in many locations, can also enrich various recipes with interesting flavor nuances.
Can you eat ribwort plantain?
The ribwort plantain is edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. The young leaves are suitable for omelettes, salads or as a flavoring agent for cream cheese and herb quark. The buds taste slightly nutty and can be used as a snack or spice.
Consume the leaves of the ribwort plantain raw or cooked
All parts of the ribwort plantain plant are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Even the roots are not poisonous, but are rarely used in kitchen recipes. The young and tender leaves of the ribwort plantain are not only a he althy feed for rabbits and horses, but also a beneficial addition to the human diet. When picked directly from the meadow and eaten raw, the leaves have a rather bitter taste. However, you can easily cut them into smaller pieces with scissors and use them as herbs in the following recipes:
- for delicious plantain omelettes
- in a colorful mixed salad
- to round off the taste of cream cheese and herb quark
The buds of the ribwort plantain as a snack and spice
For consumption, it is best to harvest the ribwort plantain buds shortly before flowering, when the white-yellow stamens around the buds have not yet formed. Raw, these buds have a slightly nutty taste. They can also be gently roasted in oil and used to add a mushroom-like flavor to various dishes. If you only cut off the buds, you can sometimes experience the regrowth of fresh flower buds several times in the same location during a growing season.
Preparing your own cough medicine from ribwort plantain
The ribwort plantain is not only edible, but also has a positive effect on various areas of the human body such as the digestive tract and respiratory tract in many ways. But what has been best known for generations is the use of the expectorant effect of ribwort plantain to combat dry coughs and colds. You can easily make your own cough syrup from ribwort plantain if you bring 1 kilogram of washed and chopped ribwort plantain leaves to the boil together with 1 liter of water, 1 kilogram of sugar and 500 grams of honey and let it thicken. After filling into boiled jars, you should store this cough syrup in a cool place, otherwise it will only last a few weeks.
Tips & Tricks
The ribwort plantain itself is not poisonous, but the application of certain fertilizers or pesticides on other people's properties often cannot be ruled out. It is therefore better to harvest ribwort plantain in your own garden or in locations with proven safety.
