Chapters 6.28
6.28 - Glasswort/beach asparagus (Salicornia virginica)
Shaye Trudel , University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Trudel ,S. (2022) Greens, Fleshy Stems and Gourds. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Introduction
Salicornia Virginia, or more simply known as Glasswort or beach asparagus, is a succulent herb species of native to Canada as well as many other regions including, North America North America, Europe, South Africa, and South Asia. The plant has begun to emerge as a quality source of income for Indigenous people. Moreover, the plant which is known to have a large variety of uses contains many incredible health benefits which are utilized by the Indigenous people throughout Canada. The purpose of this paper is to aid in educating Canadians, about Beach asparagus, and all the good and bad associated with it .
History
The scientific name of the Ostrich fern, known as the Matteuccia struthiopteris commemorates the Italian physicist and politician Carlo Matteuccia, of the mid nineteenth-century (Harris 2022). The ostrich fern, when fully developed, gains the appearance of ostrich feathers, hence, the common name; Ostrich Fern (Harris 2022). The fiddlehead fern is distributed throughout temperate regions in northern and eastern Europe (Harris 2022). Furthermore, the plant is also distributed across northern Asia and North America (Harris 2022). The fiddlehead fern is considered a threatened species in certain areas of Europe (Harris 2022). Some ferns besides the ostrich fern that have previously been used as a consumable vegetable include the vegetable fern, also know as the Diplazium esculentum, and the bracken fern, also know as the Pteridium aquilinum (Harris 2022). These ferns were typically consumed in Asia (Harris 2022). Immature fiddlehead fronds have been cooked as a traditional food in northeastern North America and were used to make beer in Norway (Harris 2022). Furthermore, in Russia the fiddlehead fern was commonly used to control gut parasites, and currently the fiddlehead fern is popular in the American state of Maine as a human consumed vegetable (Harris 2022 ).
Background
Salicornia, which originated from the Latin word “Salt”, which is also frequently referred to as pickleweed, glasswort, sea beans, crows foot greens or beach asparagus is a genus of succulent halophyte (salt tolerant) flowering plants. The plant belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, and usually grows on the Western coast of Korea (Wahone 2022). The plant can grow up to 30 cm tall and has spongy stems with scales resembling leaves (Patel 2016). For centuries the succulent has been used as food, medicine, fodder, and to rehabilitate wastelands (Wahone 2022).
Health Benefits
Salicornia, sometimes referred to as the miracle plant has an immense amount of health benefits that can be obtained through regular consumption of the plant (Wahome 2022). Not only is Salicornia incredibly rich in minerals it’s also packed full of essential vitamins including Vitamins A, B1, B15, C, and D (Abate, 2017). The plant is known to strengthen the immune system and is esteemed for its purifying and diuretic qualities (Abate,2017). On top of all that the whole of the plant contains vital nutrients all of which are essentials parts of the human diet (Wahome , 2022). Salicornia is rich in Lutein, Iron, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Ascorbic, and dehydroascorbic acids, and believe It or not many more nutrients. The bioactive metabolites present in Salicornia, also have proved to have important pharmaceutical applications. For example, Oxomefruside works is effective against hypertension, Clonidine can be used to treat people who are experiencing high blood pressure, anxiety, or certain pains. Gangliosides work as an anti-inflammatory. From a more cosmetic perspective, the succulent has been known to aid in slowing the ageing process due to its lutein process which helps in preventing age-related macular degenerative diseases. Consumption wise, the plant can also be used as a salt substitute, as the trans-ferulic acid present in the wetland plant has a protective effect on the vascular dysfunction and hypertension, which makes it act as a healthier substitute for salt. In a study conducted on rats it was found that the high intake of normal salt increases the rats blood pressure, the same amount of sodium in Salicornia, had little to no effect on their blood pressure (Wahome 2022).
Plant And Species Information
The prime time to harvest Salicornia falls between June and August, as any other time the shoots of the plant can have a fairly woody texture. The taste of the vegetable can be exceedingly salty, though it is said to have a satisfying nice crunchy texture. The most effective way to harvest the succulent is by taking the tips of the stems, and pinching or snipping them off, whilst leaving the tougher lower stalks intact (Abate, 2017). The appearance of the small succulent is typically green, though during autumn its appearance can become red (Multan 2018 ). The horizontal main stem sprouts several green, erect, lateral branches which have very small, scale like leaves. The succulent fruits usually contain one seed, which ripens in autumn. Salicornia plants which grow closest to the high tide lines are known to produce the best seed. As soon as the plant becomes ripe it is recommended that they are sown in situ in the cool season until they reach full maturity, at which usually takes place after around 7 months after very high yields of biomass has been harvested. The plant is mostly comprised of complex carbohydrates and is found to be low in fat and calorie (Multan 2018 ).
Consumption And Uses
Historically, Salicornia can be used for not only edible uses, but also nonedible uses (Patel, 2016). Salicornia can be consumed in a variety of ways including steamed, boiled, sauteed, or even eaten raw in salads (Abate, 2017). The plant is good not only for consumption, but also for medical uses. The vegetable has been found to contain important biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities. It is for this reason that the succulent has been used in traditional medicine to treat many sicknesses and diseases, including but not limited to Bronchitis, Hepatitis, Nephropathy, Hyperlipidemia, Diabetes, and so much more (Wahome 2022). Salicornia is also recognized for its aiding role in environmental preservation. The succulent has unique bio-filtering and phytoremediation capabilities, which allow the plant to only need seawater for irrigation, which in turn saves a sizeable amount of freshwater. Furthermore, as an ideal part of growing Salicornia is saline wasteland and salt marshes, farmers can take barren, otherwise futile land like desserts, and turn it into cultivatable land with minimal resources needed for the farming of the vegetable (Wahome 2022 ).
Geography
Salicornia is found primarily at the perimeter of wetlands, marshes seashores, and mudflats. The plant is most commonly native to North America, Europe, South Africa, and South Asia (Niaza 2018).
Indigenous Connections
Salicornia has been and continues to be utilized along the British Columbia, and Alaska coast by many Indigenous peoples (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991 The Kaigani Haida of Alaska who pick the plants, through the month of May through to June. They usually pick them in packs weighing up to a gallon or more, and then eat them fresh, or preserve them by freezing or pickling them. Though this food may not have been used traditionally, knowledge about the succulent and its uses were passed down from some Norwegian, as well as other “settlers”. The Tlingit also use the succulent in the making of Oriental-style dishes. Beach asparagus is also occasionally sold by some Indigenous people on Southern Vancouver Island and is a great source of income for them as in markets it can sell for up to $10.00 per kg (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991).
References
1.Abate, B. Y. R. (1970, February 1). Salicornia (sea bean): Everything you need to know. Fine Dining Lovers. Retrieved September 29, 2022, from https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/salicornia-sea-bean-everything-you-need-know
2.Adnan Niazi. (2008, January 31). Production technology of Salicornia. Share and Discover Knowledge on SlideShare. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.slideshare.net/adnanniazi55/production-technology-of-salicornia
3.Killebrew, K. (2018, December 26). Wild foraging: How to identify, harvest and prepare sea beans (aka, sea asparagus or samphire). The Daring Gourmet. Retrieved September 29, 2022, from https://www.daringgourmet.com/wild-foraging-how-to-identify-harvest-and-prepare-sea-beans-sea-asparagus-samphire/
4.Kuhlnlein, H. V., & Turner, N. J. (1991). Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples: Nutrition, Botany, and Use.Missing details
5.Patel, S. (2016, June). Salicornia: Evaluating the halophytic extremophile as a food and a pharmaceutical candidate. 3 Biotech. Retrieved September 29, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4835422/
6.Wahone, C. (n.d.). Salicornia: Nutritional value and health benefits . WebMD. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-salicornia#:~:text=medicine%2C%20or%20cosmetics.-,Medicinal%20Applications%20of%20Salicornia,%2C%20hypoglycemic%2C%20and%20cytotoxic%20activities.