Plants with a healing effect >>>> Salsify (Oat Root) - for healing and nutrition

Salsify (Oat Root) - for healing and nutrition.

The plant that has acquired the name "Oat Root” actually has nothing to do with oats or oatmeal. The botanical name of the plant is Tragopogon porrifolius, which translated from Greek “tragos” means “goat” and “pogon” means “beard”. According to the appearance of the root system of the Tragopogon species, the plant got its name "Salsify". Oat root has something in common with cereals - this is the appearance of leaves and seeds, this is where all the analogies end. To a greater extent, the plant looks like an aster, which makes it possible for him to decorate front gardens and decorate vegetable gardens. But the variety of the plant Tragopogon porrifolius, which is both edible and useful for nutrition in some diseases, has several other names that are directly related to food. "Oat Root" is the Russian name for the plant. Among Europeans, Tragopogon porrifolius acquired the name "Vegetable Oyster" for its taste that mimics the taste of oysters or fishy. The roots of Tragopogon porrifolius are called "Salsify" by chefs all over the world.

Whatever you call a useful plant, and its nutritional value is recognized as high in the kitchen for people with diabetes. Tragopogon porrifolius owes this to the high content of inulin in the roots - a natural sugar useful in diabetes mellitus, as well as in all diseases for which excess glucose is harmful. These are all types of obesity, skin diseases with metabolic disorders, food allergic diseases, dysbiosis, digestive disorders and many other health disorders, for which it is customary to keep low-carbohydrate or non-carbohydrate diets.

Edible in the plant not only roots, but the young stems and leaves, which also contains inulin (1%), vitamin C, provitamin A. The root vegetable Tragopogon porrifolius contains bitterness that stimulates the production of digestive enzymes, which is very useful for people suffering from enzyme deficiency. For people who do not have problems with the production of digestive enzymes, oat root should be consumed bleached or soaked in cold water for an hour, or scalded with boiling water for five minutes.

The Salsify plant cannot be bought in a store, but in some countries (Europe, Asia, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, South and North America, Canada) it is still cultivated for food purposes, and not in vain. The roots of the Tragopogon porrifolius plant are a very nutritious product with a high content of plant proteins, correct carbohydrates (inulin), pectins, mineral and vitamin components. Salsify is useful in nutrition for vegetarians and adherents of plant-based diets; athletes holding weight and people trying to lose weight.

Salsify is a root vegetable for healing and nutrition. But to take advantage of its nutritional value, you will most likely have to grow the plant yourself.

How to grow Salsify is a root vegetable for healing and nutrition. But to take advantage of its nutritional value, you will most likely have to grow the plant yourself in the garden? The cultivation technique of this crop is no different from the cultivation of the usual root crops, but there is one nuance that must be taken into account when growing the Tragopogon porrifolius root crop on your own - this is a highly fertile soil. The plant will not increase the thickness of the taproot in poor soil and with poor watering. Too fertilized soil usually is not suitable for root crops due to a change in the appearance of their root system - strong branching to the detriment of the formation of a powerful taproot. With the roots of Tragopogon porrifolius, the situation is different - they branch in any case, due to which the plant forms a very powerful branched root system, but with a taproot, and this, in turn, makes it difficult to collect the roots, since pulling the root of the Salsify from the ground, like carrots or beets - it will not work (only the tops will come off, and the root will remain in the ground). Given this peculiarity of plant growth, to collect the roots, they are carefully dug in, first next to the plant, assessing the total length of the formed root (it can reach 12 inches), and then a tool (for example, a pitchfork) is put under the root.

The oat root is dug out, trying not to damage it, since the root has a very juicy structure, and any injury to it leads to sap flow and the loss of some of the nutrients.

The Salsify plant is biennial, but it can also be grown as an annual if there is no desire to collect seeds. In an annual plant, root crops are harvested in late autumn - then the plant increases the maximum root thickness and concentrates nutrients in it. A biennial plant can be dug in early spring along with young greens, and at that time, bleached Tragopogon porrifolius greens are grown, according to the principle of growing asparagus stems: until the oat root greens are pecked, I cover the place of its growth with an opaque, but moisture and breathable covering material (mulch, for example), which stimulates plant shoots, but does not allow them to turn green. Such green shoots with roots contain practically no bitterness, and can be eaten raw in salads, and raw root vegetable side dishes.

Salsify is a root vegetable for healing and nutrition. But to take advantage of its nutritional value, you will most likely have to grow the plant yourself seeds are for the most part scarce, so it makes sense to leave a few plants in the second year of life and collect seeds by putting bags on the testes before the seeds are finally ripe - the plant has a high degree of volatile seeds.

The plant Tragopogon porrifolius - frost-resistant and shade-tolerant, and self-pollinating - grows quietly in protected ground. The oat root survives low winter temperatures well in the ground, but it is poorly stored in the form of dug roots. It is stored exclusively by freezing (if they want to get boiled root vegetables) or canning (canning like carrots), or drying if harvested because of its stimulating digestive qualities - this root vegetable is suitable in dried ground form for making surrogate coffee drinks or adding as a component to coffee.

The Salsify plant is a versatile product for any kind of dish, whether it be sauteed vegetables or deep-fried vegetables (in batter), for boiled root vegetable garnishes or its combination with other boiled root vegetables. Salsify is a root vegetable for healing and nutrition. But to take advantage of its nutritional value, you will most likely have to grow the plant yourself can be baked, steamed, stewed, grilled on a grill or skewers. Salsify is an ideal ingredient in vegetable soup or simulated seafood soup. The oyster or fishy flavor at the root is felt mostly raw or scalded or browned, for this reason, put the root in soups at the end of the soup boiling or a few minutes before it is ready. Salsify gives an interesting taste to porridges, omelets, pates, sweet salads, meat dishes (they can be stuffed with poultry). Unlike other edible root vegetables, oat root is not tasteless and does not require salt.