What Is Goosefoot (Lambsquarters)? How to Eat This Common Wild Vegetable and What to Watch Out For

Goosefoot, whose scientific name is Chenopodium album and which people in the countryside also call huitiao cai or huili, is one of the most common wild vegetables found in fields and by the roadsides. It is an annual herbaceous plant with upright stems and leaves that are mostly rhombic-ovate with irregularly toothed edges. Its most obvious feature is a layer of grayish-white powder coating the undersides of the leaves and the tender tips, so that from a distance it looks as if it is covered in dust, which is how it got its name.

Goosefoot is highly adaptable and is distributed across most parts of China, often appearing along roadsides, on wasteland, at the edges of farmland and around the fronts and backs of houses. It is not demanding about soil and tolerates both drought and poor, thin ground, and spring to early summer is a good time to pick the tender shoots and leaves.

As a wild vegetable, the tender stems and leaves of goosefoot can be eaten, and they contain protein, vitamins and a variety of minerals. Before eating, it is generally first blanched in boiling water, then soaked in clean water, after which it can be served cold, stir-fried plainly or used as a filling; the texture is soft and tender with a faint fresh fragrance. In folk tradition it is also often regarded as a wild vegetable that serves as both food and medicine.

It should be noted that goosefoot is a photosensitive plant, so it is best not to eat too much of it at one time, and after eating it you should try to avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight, so as to prevent skin discomfort; people with a weak, cold spleen and stomach should eat even less. When picking, remember to identify the plant by its features, avoid roadsides and field edges that have just been sprayed with pesticides, and cook it only after it has been cleaned thoroughly, so that it is safe to eat.