Burdock (Arctium) Reviews

When my cousin's lower legs were red and raw from scratching flea bites, I boiled up some fresh burdock root which I happened to have bought at Whole Foods to sautee and eat.  I strained the water and gave her some to drink and made a mash of the cooked pulp which I applied to her legs and then bandaged.  I put her feet up on a stool and told her not to move or walk around until the mash had dried.  I used toilet paper at the time because I had no gauze rolls.  When she took off the mash and rinsed her legs, the redness, the itchiness and the welts had all but disappeared.  Also, when my dad was alive and had gout attacks, I had him soak his hands and/or feet in a bucket full of burdock root tea which I had brewed.  It does not cure, of course, but it provided much relief.  Oh, back to cooking.....barky exterior scraped off and cleaned, sliced and sauteed, the root is absolutely delicious to eat.  Tastes like artichoke - and is of the same family!