Let's take a closer look at the plantain plant and what purposes this plant has for survivalists. The following includes details on the plant's appearance, health benefits, and culinary ideas.

Read on to find out everything you wanted to know.

What it Looks Like

The plantain is commonly found in two varieties, the broad leaf and and narrow leaf. Broad leaf plantains have short and wide oval-shaped leaves with a point on their tips. Narrow leaf plantains resemble a tip of a spear or lance that also has a point at the tip. Both varieties have leaves that form a circular pattern with long shoots sticking out from the center. The shoots contain seeds that are either bunched at the top or resemble a strand of wheat that extends upward from the middle. They can be found in forests, prairies, meadows, back yards and growing between cracks in concrete. You won’t have to look far to find this weed and take advantage of its benefits.

What it Does

The medicinal benefits of the plantain weed range from sucking venom from bite sites to reducing inflammation, expelling mucous or acting as a laxative. The weed is also a great remedy for treating numerous types of skin problems from rashes to eczema and poison ivy or oak blisters. The list goes on and on.
You can make a plantain paste by taking a few bits of leaves, chewing them up in your mouth and putting the softened material directly over the affected area of the skin. You can make a tea as well as a therapeutic oil by placing a handful of leaves in a jar and covering it with a couple of inches of olive oil. Let it soak for a few weeks to draw out the oils and you have a nice balm or salve that can be used for topical applications as well. Eating the leaves can also infuse the body with vitamins C, A and K along with numerous phytonutrients that can promote healing.
The only real concern to worry about is that eating too much plantain leaves can cause diarrhea.

Eating

You can eat the leaves raw, steamed or boiled, and they make a great addition to a salad. You can also grind them and mix with other ingredients in order to mask the flavor while boosting the nutritional value of almost any recipe or dish. As a survival food, the plantain weed is invaluable.

It sounds like this plant has several different uses! No wonder many people claim it can help with just about anything. If you've liked what you read and want to know more, check out SurvivalKit.com to discover more details.

Featured Image via SurvivalKit.com