Backyard Immunity
Even though it is technically spring, we are still dealing with winter-like weather here in southeastern
WI. However, with that said I took a brief walk through the garden yesterday and noticed a few things
coming up. Those lovely tufts of garlic leaves are coming up all over the place and they are soooo
delicious!
Besides garlic greens, I noticed my oregano and mint is doing well. And of course so is the annoying and
invasive garlic mustard. Given our current situation with COVID-19, these foods (yes, even the garlic
mustard) are beneficial for our health, including the immune system.
Garlic leaves provide all of the nutritional benefits that garlic cloves do-in addition to the chlorophyll
that is produced in the leaves. Some of these benefits include antibacterial and antiviral action, vitamins
A and C as well as calcium. Garlic leaves also include trace minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and
copper. Not to mention that garlic (the whole plant) is a tonic (supportive) to the heart and circulatory
system. To use, harvest the greens with a scissors and add to salads, eggs, meats…really anything that
you would add chives to. And with the leaves, it would be better to utilize them in the raw state.
As the invasive garlic mustard starts to surface and while you are out trying to eradicate it, take some in
the kitchen and sauté it! Garlic mustard is high in vitamins A, C, and E as well as trace minerals. The
bitter taste of garlic mustard (similar to arugula, dandelion or endive) is beneficial to the digestive
system as well as liver and gallbladder function. When consuming garlic mustard, it is better to cook it
rather than eating raw because it does contain cyanide. However cooking eliminates the cyanide
content. Toss it in the pan with a little olive oil or butter for a tasty side with your meal.
Oregano and mint; two powerful herbs! Both are very antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, AND… anti-
inflammatory! They are a good source of antioxidants and can easily be added to dishes, fresh or dry.
Mint is excellent for the digestive system and is very commonly consumed as a tea.
Lastly, I would like to mention the wood violet (Viola papilionacea). This is a common, well-established
violet that grows in the spring in the northeastern half of the country. I like to harvest the petals and add
them to salads or as a garnish for certain dishes. A lot of people like to candy them (which is not
recommended especially when trying to keep the immune system strong. Sugar actually weakens the
immune system, creates more inflammation and feeds bacteria, yeasts and viruses). The petals contain
antioxidants (notably anthocyanin) and vitamins A and C.
These are just a few accessible wild foods that can be added to your diet to help fortify the immune
system while adding extra nutrition. This simple, yet effective support can be an easy way to stay healthy.
