Plantain: A Detailed Look at Its Benefits and Uses, a Common Weed with Many Purposes

Plantain is the general name for plants in the Plantaginaceae family, mostly biennial or perennial herbaceous plants. They are very common on field ridges, roadsides, wasteland and riverbanks, and are named for often growing beside roads traveled by carts and horses. Its leaves are oval-shaped and spread flat against the ground, and in summer it sends up slender spike-like inflorescences. It is one of the wild herbaceous plants recognized and used relatively early in Chinese folk tradition.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, plantain is sweet in taste and cold in nature, and is often used to clear heat, promote urination, improve eyesight and dispel phlegm. Its whole plant can be used as medicine, and its mature seeds are called Plantago seed (Cheqianzi), which is likewise a commonly used Chinese medicinal material. In folk practice, plantain is habitually decocted in water and drunk as a tea, mostly used to relieve discomfort such as difficult urination and edema, and it is also regarded as a common herb for clearing heat and reducing internal heat in summer.

Besides its medicinal use, the tender leaves of plantain are also an edible wild vegetable. After the tender leaves picked in spring are blanched to remove their astringent taste, they can be served cold with dressing, stir-fried plain, cooked in soup or mixed into flour-based foods. The taste is refreshing with a slight bitterness, and it is a traditional way of tasting fresh spring food in many regions, often regarded in rural areas as a seasonal vegetable that costs nothing.

It should be noted that plantain is rather cold in nature, so people with weak and cold spleen and stomach, or who are prone to diarrhea, should not eat much of it. When gathering it for food, avoid roadsides and areas near farmland where pesticides may have been sprayed or pollution may be present, and choose plants from clean environments. If it is used to regulate the body, it is advisable to do so under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist, and not to take it on your own in large amounts over a long period. If discomfort occurs, seek medical attention promptly.