Want to know what the most important couch grass root uses are, how to harvest couch grass root and use it as medicine? Keep reading.
Common couch (Agropyron repens/Elymus repens) face parte dintre putinele plante care nu aud niciodata cuvinte de lauda spuse la adresa lor, deci ar merita cu varf si indesat. Este o planta considerata invaziva, insa nu nenumarate utilizari medicale de care majoritatea oamenilor nu stiu. Before we talk about the most amazing couch grass root uses, here is how to harvest couch grass root.
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How to Harvest Couch Grass Root
The most used part of the couch grass plant is the roots or rhizome, which in late autumn, winter, and early spring have a high content of active substances, hence it’s the best time to harvest. Carefully clean off the dirt, the leaves, and the dry stems, and place them in a shady spot, on paper or burlap, to dry naturally. After completely drying, keep the couch grass roots in paper bags.
What Is Couch Grass Root Good For?
In traditional Romanian folk medicine, couch grass was used to treat conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, such as biliary dyskinesia, gallstones, kidney stones, and pancreatic insufficiency, but also in rheumatism, gout and cystitis, and edema caused by heart conditions. It was observed that in cases of respiratory conditions, urinary infections, or prostate adenoma, couch grass reduces pain and improves overall condition. Enemas with couch grass were traditionally used in case of chronic constipation.
10 Couch Grass Root Uses with Remedies
1. Kidney Stones, Gout, and Rheumatic Pain
Prepare an infusion by steeping 2 tablespoons of chopped couch grass root in 500 ml (2 cups) of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drink half a cup, 4 times a day, before meals. Or, make the cold maceration by putting 15 g of couch grass roots in 350 ml of cold water and leave to soak for 10-12 hours, or overnight. Drink 100 ml of the cold maceration, 3-4 times a day. This remedy is also effective for urinary bladder stones, dropsy, cold, and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, and is one of the main couch grass root uses.
2. Uterine Hemorrhages and Furunculosis
Drink 3 cups of couch grass root tea daily, 30 minutes before meals (recipe above) for 3-4 weeks. In more severe cases, or when experiencing other symptoms of suffering from multiple conditions, combine couch grass root with other medicinal plants for enhanced effects. Couch grass root is usually used in combination with other medicinal herbs.
3. Atherosclerosis, Encephalopathy, Loss of Vision or Hearing
Finely chop and combine 100 g each of the following herbs:
- couch grass root (Elymus repens)
- calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)
- calamus root (Acorus calamus)
- valerian root (Valeriana officinalis)
- thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- tribulus (Tribulus terrestris)
- lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Boil 2 tablespoons of the herbal blend in 300 ml of water, allow to steep for an hour, and then strain the decoction. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly made couch grass juice (made from leaves and stems using a slow juicer) and a tablespoon of raw honey to the decoction. Drink 100 ml, 3 times a day, 30 minutes before the meal, each time adding a pinch of nutmeg powder to the tea. This is a 4-6 months. Pause for a month and resume if needed.
4. Gout, Urinary Retention Kidney Stones, and Acne
Combine the following herbs:
- 300 g of birch leaves (Betula pendula)
- 150 g couch grass root (Elymus repens)
- 150 g of red clover flowers (Trifolium pratense)
- 150 g of horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
- 150 g of crushed dill seeds (Anethum graveolens)
Put 2 tablespoons of the herbal mix in 500 ml (2 cups) of cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes. After cooling, strain, and add 4 tablespoons of freshly made couch grass juice (made from leaves and stems using a slow juicer). Drink 150 ml of this tea four times a day, 30 minutes before each meal, and in the evening right before going to bed. Continue for one and a half months, pause for 2 weeks, and resume 2-3 times for best results.
5. Heart Conditions, Edema, Angina, and Kidney Failure
Combine the following herbs:
- 100 g of couch grass root (Elymus repens)
- 50 g of birch leaves (Betula pendula)
- 50 g of chamomile flowers (Chamomilla matricaria)
- 50 g of burdock root (Arctium lappa)
- 50 g of lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis)
- 50 g of motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
Simmer 2 tablespoons of the mixture and in 200 ml of water for 5 minutes. Steep for an hour, strain, then add a tablespoon each of horsetail juice and peppermint (made from leaves and stems using a slow juicer). Drink 2 tablespoons of this tea, three times a day, 20 minutes before meals, for 2-6 months or more. This is one of the most important couch grass root uses.
6. High Blood Pressure
A natural way to normalize blood pressure is by drinking a healing decoction made of couch grass root, hops, hawthorn berries/flowers, motherwort, and horsetail (combine 100 g of each). Simmer 2 spoonfuls of the blend in 300 ml of water for 5 minutes. Steep for an hour, strain, and drink 100 ml, 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals, for a month and a half.
7. Chronic Pancreatitis
Combine 2 tablespoons of couch grass herb (not roots), and one tablespoon each of wild strawberry leaves (Fragaria vesca) and tribulus leaves (Tribulus terrestris), and simmer in 350 ml of water for 5 minutes. After the first boil, turn the heat off and steep for an hour, then strain. Drink 50 ml every 2 hours, until you finish the entire quantity in one day. This is one of the key couch grass root uses.
Continue for 10-15 days. For best results, associate with a strict diet, anti-inflammatory diet (6-8 light meals a day consisting predominantly of fresh fruit vegetables, steamed potatoes, leafy greens, and legumes (avoid dairy, pork, eggs, farmed fish, processed beat sugar, gluten, corn, soy, canola oil, food additives – MSG, aspartame, natural flavors, citric acid).
8. Gallstones and Kidney Stones
Combine equal parts of:
- couch grass (aerial part)
- linden flowers (Tilia cordata)
- elderflowers (Sambucus nigra)
- horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
- dense flower mullein (Verbascum densiflorum)
Steep 50 g of the herbal mix in 750 ml (3 cups) of boiling water (ideally in a thermos), for 2 hours. Drink 3 cups of this warm infusion a day. This remedy is also effective in a wide array of skin conditions, as this is one of the main couch grass root uses.
9. Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids
Combine 100 g each of couch grass root, horse chestnut flowers (Aesculus hippocastanum), arnica (Arnica montana), yellow star clover (Melilotus officinalis), and willow bark (Salix alba). Scald two tablespoons of the mixture with 300 ml of boiling water, steep in a thermos for 1.5-2 hours, and strain. Drink 100 ml 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals, for 1-1.5 months. Use this infusion topically as well, to make compresses that you apply on swollen varicose veins, in the morning and evening. For hemorrhoids, you can also use 50 ml of this lukewarm tea for anal douches in the evening before going to bed.
10. Hemorrhoids, Rickets, Skin Conditions, and Joint Pain
Couch grass baths (use the whole plant) with couch grass decoction have a therapeutic effect in cases of hemorrhoids, rickets, and skin diseases. It also has an analgesic effect for joint pain, lumbago, lower back pain, and rheumatic pain, especially when using them using couch grass internally, alongside the baths. Prepare the decoction by simmering 50-75 grams of couch grass root or whole plant in 10 liters of water for 5 minutes. Pour it into your warm bathwater and bathe for 20-30 minutes.
Anti-Aging Recipe with Couch Grass Root
During the summer, prepare a tincture from the following herbal blend:
- 50 g of couch grass root
- 50 g of hawthorn flowers (Crataegus monogyna/Crataegus oxyacantha)
- 50 g of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- 50 g of motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca)
- 50 g of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
- 50 g of mistletoe (Viscum album)
Soak the herbs in one liter of vodka or rakija for 2 weeks, then strain and pour the tincture into amber bottles. Make the same batch of herbal blend once again to prepare an anti-aging tea this time. Simmer 2 teaspoons of the mixture in 300 ml of water for 5 minutes, after the first boil. Steep for an hour, strain (squeeze well), add a teaspoon of the tincture you made, a spoonful of raw honey, and drink 50 ml 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals.
Drink this tea for 6 weeks each season (spring, summer, autumn, winter). If you can, squeeze juice from some of the abovementioned plants and add 2 tsp into this tea. This herbal remedy has guaranteed anti-aging effects.
3 Delicious Common Couch Root Recipes
- Couch Grass Flour – people in the Balkans used to turn dried couch grass roots into flour that was used to bake tasty and really healthy bread (gluten-free). You can substitute various gluten-free flours to make cookies and cakes with couch grass flour instead.
- Couch Grass Coffee – If you roast couch grass flour on the stove until it acquires a dark brown color, you can use it to make a healthy coffee substitute drink.
- Couch Grass Soup Base – couch grass root decoctions and infusions can be used as a base for soups, stews, and sauces. You can also prepare side dishes, salads, and even veggie balls from the fresh couch grass roots (boiled or fried).
- Mashed Couch Grass Root – boil the roots and mash into a puree, then season with a little salt and butter. For seriously ill people, boil couch grass root into a porridge with different spices or vegetables (do not use any fat).
Couch Grass Safety and Contraindications
Couch grass is considered a harmless plant, with almost no contraindications. However, we do not recommend its use in courses longer than 14 days if you suffer from low blood pressure, acute pancreatitis with diarrhea, and acute stomach ulcers.
Read Also: Herbal Teas for Fatty Liver
If you’ve enjoyed learning about the most important couch grass root uses, how to harvest couch grass root, and how to cook with couch grass, please share this article. Stay healthy, naturally!
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