Lamb's quarters
Chenopodium album
Vegetables. Dr. Sebi's list and Folk & home remedies.
Also called Goosefoot, Wild spinach, Quelite
Spanish: Quelite
High in oxalatesA common wild green eaten like spinach. It is food, not a proven medicine.
Did you know? Lamb's quarters is a close relative of quinoa, spinach and beets, and its seeds have been found at ancient human sites.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. Folk use for sluggish digestion. No human trials were found.Traditional proof
- Anemia & blood building. The leaves contain iron, but oxalates block much of it. No trials test it for anemia.Not supported
Parts of the body
Traditional use
It has been eaten as a wild green for centuries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Its medicinal uses are folk beliefs.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Nutritive, Antioxidant. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Eaten cooked like spinach, in normal food amounts. No medicinal dose exists.
Food.
Where to get it
A weed of fields, gardens and roadsides worldwide. Gathered wild or grown at home. Rarely sold as a supplement.
Be careful
Contains oxalates and nitrates, which can cause kidney stones or upset stomach in large amounts. Its pollen can trigger hay fever in some people. Cook it before eating.
Avoid if: kidney stones; kidney disease; pollen allergy.
Mixing with other things
No specific mixing notes on file. That doesn't prove it's safe with everything; ask a pharmacist about your full list.
The honest take
Lamb's quarters is a common wild food that is safe in normal amounts. It is not a proven medicine. Oxalates limit how much iron the body absorbs, and its health claims are folk beliefs.