What Does Burdock Root Taste Like

What Does Burdock Root Taste Like – Burdock root has been around forever and is used in lots of Asian cooking. The Japanese use it as a starchy vegetable. It is popular with people who enjoy the taste of potatoes. Burdock root is a root vegetable that you can use in many recipes. It has coarse outer skin. Its taste may be described as nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet with a hint of vegetable. You can also make a delicious tea from the root.

The scientific name of Arctium lappa is gobo, which is also the word for burdock root in Japan. But no matter what you call it, evidence of its many uses has always been around. Burdock root can be found in many countries.

The plant known as the root of edible plant burdock was originally thought to come from Asia and Europe, but it has a history in Indonesia and the United States where it was consumed by some Native American tribes of Ojibwa, Malecite, Micmac, Iroquois, and Menominee.

Believe it or not, the seed burrs of burdock became the inspiration for Velcro in a non-food-related story. It’s said that Georges de Mestral, a Swiss electrical engineer, was trekking through the mountains one day and noticed his socks being stuck onto his pants by these tough little seed pods. In 1955, Georges de Mestral took the barbed seeds and replicated the gripping quality to create the famous Velcro.

What to Do With Burdock Root

Burdock is commonly eaten like any other root vegetable such as potatoes, carrots, and beets. In Japan, the burdock is called gobo and it’s prepped by slicing, roll cutting, sectioning into chunks, and julienning.

Earthy foods such as mushrooms and greens are the perfect ingredient to add a deep, rich flavor to a dish. For example, when you roast or boil them, they can be tossed into your favorite grains like quinoa, rice, or barley. They can also be pureed into a creamy soup or blended with vegetables to make a hearty stew.

Saute thin slices of the root with other foods to make a stir-fry or side dish. You can also steep tea from the freshly-cut root. Like any other herb, you can put it in boiling water for about 10 minutes.

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Where to Buy Burdock Root

Burdock is typically only found at Asian markets and as a fresh summer annual. You can also buy it in dried or powdered form and it can last for up to six months. You can find dehydrated burdock root online from many digital herbs, tea, and Asian ingredient shops. Dehydrating it first won’t make for awesome cooking, but it can help with some other recipes like teas that call for this herb.

Storage

It’s best to store burdock root in a cool, dark spot in the pantry or basement when harvested or bought fresh. You don’t need to trim the ends until you’re ready to use them. You should definitely not put it in the refrigerator.

To preserve the ingredients, it’s necessary to store them in a sealed container. This can be done by keeping it in a dry area. You should place it away from pests or moisture.

Varieties

Burdock root is a rare root often found in East Asian cooking. One of the names used for burdock is gobo root, especially when you’re dining in a Japan-based restaurant or shop. It is not as common to see burdock root in these monikers, but it is mentioned that other variations of its name include beggar’s buttons, love leaves, happy major leaves, and more.

The most common ways you’ll find this ingredient is either in a powder or as dried material. It can also come in an oil or extract. You can try to purchase it fresh if there’s a market near where you live, but this is difficult to do.

Benefits Burdock Root

There are few scientific studies that explore the benefits of burdock, and though some of them are promising, they should be considered preliminary. Below are some of the potential benefits of Burdock root. Let’s talk further about our topic; what does burdock root taste like.

1. Diabetes

Most mice treated with burdock extract gained weight. They also increased the levels of insulin in their body by 34 percent. These benefits have been attributed to burdock root’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Researchers also reported changes in lipid profiles. This includes decreases in triglycerides and “bad” cholesterol and an increase in “good” cholesterol. The progress made in the study over time shows that burdock’s antioxidant properties work in the same way as natural therapies for diabetes.

2. Reduce High Cholesterol

In a study conducted to identify potential genes that may be involved in lipid metabolism, burdock root extract has been shown to reduce body weight and cholesterol levels in rats, possibly by modulating the expression of specific genes.

4. Liver Support

Burdock has been praised for its blood purifying abilities. However, more studies are needed to show that burdocks are beneficial to the liver as it does to other organs. According to results from a 2002 rat study, the herb buddleia reverses liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption but there is no direct correlation in humans since there is no human counterpart of the rats used in the study.

5. Skin Health

The study found that the antioxidant compounds in burdock leaves inhibit enzymes which can lead to wrinkling and skin discoloration. There was a study in 2014, that used a homeopathic preparation of burdock found significant improvements in the number and types of pimples and quality of life scores. Homeopathy is an alternative medicine that has been specified by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.