Disclaimer: The information provided throughout this site is for educational purposes only and is not to be regarded as a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. The information provided is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always seek the guidance of your qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.
Marshmallow Infusion
For a cold infusion: What you’ll need… 1. a jar and lid 2. marshmallow root 3. lukewarm water
Simply fill a jar 1/4 of the way with marshmallow root. Then fill the jar with lukewarm water and cover with a lid. Let sit for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. The water should change color to a soft yellow.
Strain off the roots. The resulting liquid should be thick and viscous.
Marshmallow Tea Recipe by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., R.H.
Makes about 12 ounces.
Active Time: 5 minutes.
Tea is a wonderful way to ingest marshmallow’s healthful properties, but it’s important to know that mucopolysaccharides are destroyed by heat. So if you are going to make a tea from either marshmallow root or marshmallow leaf, it’s best to use room temperature water.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. room temperature, non-chlorinated water
- 1-2 Tbsp. organic marshmallow leaf or 1 Tbsp. organic marshmallow root
Directions
- Put water in an appropriately sized vessel that can be covered.
- Stir herb into water and cover.
- Let steep at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.
- Strain before drinking.
Goodnight Kiss Tea Blend with Marshmallow Root
Jessicka Nebesni, Mountain Rose Herbs Customer Service and Marketing
Makes 1/2 cup tea blend (1 to 2 cups brewed tea) when 1 part = 1 tablespoon. Scale to your needs.
Ingredients
- 3 parts organic marshmallow root
- 2 parts organic rosebuds
- 2 parts organic Vana holy basil
- 1 part organic cassia cinnamon chips, or 1/2 part organic cassia cinnamon powder, or 1 organic cassia cinnamon stick
Directions
- Blend all herbs together in a bowl and store in a cool, dark, dry place.
- When making the tea, bring water to a gentle simmer.
- Scoop blend into tea strainer or kettle. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of tea blend for each brewed 8-ounce cup you plan to enjoy (depending on your tastes).
- Pour water over tea blend, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes (covering will hold in all of the beneficial oils instead of them evaporating off).
- Remove strained herbs and add sweetener if desired.
Drink slowly and mindfully and, most of all, enjoy!
Marshmallow Topical as Poultice or Infused Oil
Marshmallow is soothing and promotes healing of sensitive skin, abrasions, small cuts, redness, sunburn, dry skin, psoriasis, and dry eczema. It is also used as a dissolver of hardness (like lumps and bumps).
Used in powder or whole form, marshmallow can be made into the following
Marshmallow Compress/Poultice
Marshmallow flower/leaf or root
A washcloth or clean cloth
Bowl or basin
Boiling water
Pour boiling water over the herb, and let it steep for 10 minutes. When the brew has cooled to body temperature or a bit hotter, dip the cloth into the liquid and apply it topically to the skin to aid healing.
Marshmallow Infused Oil
This is not an essential oil. Plant infused oils use the whole plant, less than it takes to make essential oils and safer. Plant infused oils give you the benefits of the plant and are more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Topical use straight or with beeswax added to make a salve. It makes a great addition to lotions, creams and soaks for the skin.
Marshmallow blossom, leaf, root
Extra virgin olive oil
Jar (be sure you have the right sized jar for the amount of plant you will have…)
Pick the plant you need on a dry, sunny day. Do not pick when wet from rain or dew. Do not wash the plant going into oil. If there is dirt, brush it off with a stiff dry brush. Basically, keep any moisture from going into the infused oil you are making.
Avoid any plant, flowers etc that may be sprayed or need roadsides. If a plant has mildew, is black or otherwise diseased or soiled, discard it from use.
Coarsely chop the plant up. Completely fill a clean, very dry jar with the chopped herb. Make sure the jar is full, packed but not so packed it is crammed.
Slowly pour oil into the jar, poking with a chopstick or knife to release air and make sure the oil penetrates into all layers of the plant/herb. Be sure to add enough oil to thoroughly cover all the plant material and fill the jar to no less than ½ inch of the rim. Some oils may release air or seep, so a tiny bit of space is good. However, do not leave too much space.
Go around the edges of the jar with a chopstick or knife to release all the air bubbles. Some people add a couple of drops of Vitamin E or a finger pinch of slippery elm powder to keep the oil from going rancid. Extra virgin olive oil is less likely to go rancid anyway and penetrates the skin quickly (beneficial as a topical for many conditions).
Screw on a lid. Label the jar with the name of the plant, the plant part used, the kind of oil used, and the date. Example: Marshmallow leaf/ flower, olive oil, 24, June 2019.
Keep the jar of infused oil at normal room temperature and on a surface that will not be ruined if the oil seeps out a bit from the lid.
Decant (strain the plant off) infused oil in six weeks. Sometimes there may be oil held in the plant as you are decanting. You can either squeeze the plant to wring out the oil or press it in a strainer to release more oil. Put the plant material back to the earth out of respect.
Plant infused oils will typically last a year, sometimes longer, until the next season.
*** Avoid Oil Problems: Make sure your jar is totally dry, to begin with. The presence of any moisture on the herb or in the jar encourages mold growth. If the jar is not filled mostly to the top, mold will grow in the air space left.
Do not put infused oils in the sun and do not refrigerate them, as either can cause condensation inside the jar, providing the moisture necessary for colonies of mold.
Throat Lozenges/Pastilles
These lozenges are tasty, simple to make, effective and use just a few ingredients. Herb powders with honey to cool and soothe scratchy irritated throats, sore and swollen throats, hoarseness, and also dry hacking coughs. With rose petals, marshmallow root powder, slippery elm powder, sage (or thyme), ginger, honey, cinnamon, licorice root powder optional as well.
Recipe and directions here: https://herbs.motherearthliving.com/makeherblozenges/
Marshmallow Root Marshmallows
The Marshmallow plant (Althaea officinalis) was once used to make marshmallows, before those spongy and sugary gelatin marshmallows used today. Herbalist Rosalee de la Foret shares this recipe.
What you’ll need… 1/2 cup rose hydrosol (if you want peppermint, use peppermint flavoring or peppermint hydrosol) 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon marshmallow root powder 1 to 2 tablespoons of hibiscus flowers (if you want the marshmallows pink!) 1 cup honey 1 packet unflavored gelatin 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt You’ll also need… Hand mixer, 8×8″ pan, a Candy thermometer, and a Saucepan
Bring the water and rose hydrosol to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the marshmallow root and hibiscus flower and stir with a whisk. Simmer for five minutes and then place in the fridge until cool. Strain the marshmallow and hibiscus decoction through a fine-mesh sieve. Add enough water to equal a full cup.
Take half of the marshmallow mixture and place in a medium-sized bowl and add gelatin to it. Set aside. Take the other half of the mixture in a small saucepan along with the honey, vanilla extract, and the salt. Bring to a simmer. Place the candy thermometer in the mixture until it reaches 240°F (soft ball) then remove from heat. Using a hand mixer begin to mix the marshmallow and gelatin mixture on low. Slowly add the hot marshmallow and honey mixture while continuing to mix. Once the two mixtures have been combined continue to whip on high for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour the mixture onto an 8×8″ pan lined with natural parchment paper that has been oiled. Let these sit for a few hours until they are set up and firm. Slice with a knife. These were a little sticky. You could roll them in rose petal powder or powdered sugar if you wanted them less sticky.
Text from https://learningherbs.com/skills/how-to-make-marshmallows/
Copyright © 2019 LearningHerbs.
Herbal Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Recipe by Amy Fewell
This recipe makes enough for 8 cups of hot chocolate.
- 3/4 oz marshmallow root, dried
- 9 cups milk (raw is best!)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (good quality)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
- In a saucepan, heat up milk and marshmallow root. Allow to infuse for 30 minutes without bringing to a boil but still very hot. Once complete, strain out marshmallow root (if you did not use a tea bag or tea infuser) and return milk to hot saucepan.
- Add sugar, melt, and combine completely.
- Add cocoa powder and stir until completely combined.
- Add vanilla extract, combine well.
- Serve warm with homemade whipped cream
https://thefewellhomestead.com/homemade-herbal-marshmallow-hot-chocolate/
Resources
Boyce, Cathy. 20 Inspiring Ways To Use Marshmallow Root. July 31,2017 from
https://theherbalacademy.com/20-marshmallow-root-diys/
De la Foret, Rosalee . How to Make Marshmallows with Marshmallow Root . April 1, 2012 from
https://learningherbs.com/skills/how-to-make-marshmallows/ and “Marshmallow Herb.” Herbalremediesadvice.org, 2010-2019.
Weed, S. (n.d.). Herbal Adventures with Susun S Weed – The Malvaceae — or mallow — family. January 7, 2017 from https://www.susunweed.com/Article_Malvaceae-family.htm
Wood, M. (2009). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete GuideTo New World Medicinal Plants.Vol. 1. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. And
The Ten Most Indispensable Herbs in My Practice
and Indispensable Herbs for First Aide: The Indispensable Water Remedy: Althea officinalis. Marshmallow (n.d. 2008-2009) from https://www.woodherbs.com/Marshmallow.html