Milk thistle , popularly known as thistle, often treated as a weed. Meanwhile, it is worth appreciating thehealing properties of milk thistle , which make it a valuable herbal ingredient. Seewhat is the use of milk thistlein the treatment of various diseases, and see how easy it isgrowing milk thistle in the garden , thanks to which you can get a lot of this herb . "
Milk Thistle - Silybum marianum
Milk thistle - properties and application
Milk Thistle(Silybum marianum) is an annual, prickly plant characterized by vigorous growth. Initially, it produces a lush rosette of blue-green leaves, and then produces a strong branched shoot that can grow up to 2 m in height! It blooms from July to August.
Already in antiquity, it was possible to appreciatethe healing properties of milk thistleCurrently, it serves primarily to protect and regenerate the liver. It is thanks to a substance called silymarin that milk thistle has so many healing properties. Silymarin is contained in the seeds and dry fruits of milk thistle. It is mainly thanks to her thatmilk thistle is used in the treatment of the liverin alcoholism, cirrhosis, hepatitis A, B and C or intoxication, e.g. with mushrooms.
The properties of milk thistle also help in the fight against gallstone diseaseor skin diseases. The substances contained in milk thistle also have a strong anti-oxidant effect, which removes free radicals from our body, which in turn helps in the fight against cancer. Milk thistle lowers blood cholesterol , improves memory and concentration. It has also been proven thatusing milk thistle lowers blood glucose levels , which helps in the fight against type 2 diabetes.
If we wantto take full advantage of the properties of milk thistleit should be dosed appropriately. As mentioned before, the seeds contain the most silymarin and this is what we should get if we want to introduce milk thistle into our diet. It is recommended to buy seeds and grind them yourself, becausemilk thistle retains its he alth benefitsSuch ground seeds can be consumed in the amount of 1-2 teaspoons a day, eaten directly or added to yogurt, salads or poured boiling water and drunk as an infusion.
Milk thistle - cultivation
The wide use of milk thistle makes it worth trying to grow it yourself.It is not complicated.The site of milk thistle cultivationshould be sunny with well-drained soil. Milk thistle does not like too much moisture in the substrate.
Growing milk thistle starts with sowing seeds directly into the ground , to a depth of about 2-3 cm. It should be sown in spring, in April. Once the seeds have emerged, they should be broken approx. Every 50-60 cm. Remember that it is a large plant!
During plant growth, the position should be weeded regularly.Milk thistle responds very well to fertilization with phosphorus and potassiumso it is worth using a fertilizer rich in these ingredients. For organic farming, we recommend using a self-prepared natural fertilizer made of banana peels, which is rich in phosphorus and potassium.
Harvesting milk thistle should be carried out when the plants produce seedsThen we mow high shoots, leave them to dry for a few days and finally obtain dried seeds.
Katarzyna Marcinkowska
