The benefits of eating marshmallow...

We have been discussing chocolate a good bit in class, I went to a restaurant a couple days ago and they had s'mores for dessert. When you think of s'mores one thinks of sugary blobs of marshmallow squeezed between graham crackers and chocolate bars. I even remember talking about marshmallow peeps in class which are made during easter and halloween. Having talked so much about chocolate and candy I began thinking of marshmallow. How is it made? Where does it come from and so on and so forth, marshmallows to me came in a bag at the grocery store.

Marshmallow is a plant whose leaves, roots and flowers are used. Marshmallow roots, stems and leaves exude a sweet mucilage. In the past and today this mucilage has medicinal value. Marshmallow has compounds that are antiseptic and anti-inflammatory (it was used to soothe inflammation both inside and outside the body), soothe the digestive, respiratory and urinary tracts. In France, powdered roots of marshmallow were used to make lozenges to soothe coughs etc.

Centuries ago eating marshmallow meant something quite different. The Romans cooked the leaves of marshmallow as a vegetable; In medieval Europe, marshmallow was eaten during hard times when nutritious foods were scarce. The tender tips of the roots were eaten whether there was famine or not-they were collected and made into a syrupy drink. Marshmallow leaves are used in salads. Every part of the plant has many uses.

Traditionally marshmallow confection was made by mixing powedered marshmallow root with water and the mixture was allowed to swell and thicken. Sugar was added and the mixture was then heated until it turned to a sweet paste. Today's marshmallow is nothing like in the past with sugar being the only thing common to the original recipe.

So if you want to a herbal remedy for a cough, chest and lung ailments, diarrhea, stomach upsets and ulcers, bladder infections and insomnia and a herbalist tells you to eat marshmallow, don't go to the grocery store and get the candy.