Marshmallow Benefits, Uses & History

For those of you hoping that eating marshmallow sweets has great medicinal benefits – I’m afraid I have to disappoint you…

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While marshmallow sweets do little more than give you a brief sugar rush, the medicinal form of marshmallow as derived from the marshmallow plant is not quite as delicious, but there are studies that show it can be used for multiple types of ailments.

What it is and where it can be found

The real Latin name for the marshmallow plant is Althaea Officinalis. It is a perennial plant, which means that it will live for over two years.

It grows naturally in many parts of the world, including Southern and Western Europe, Western Asia, North Africa, and the North Eastern Region of North America.

It grows best in marshes and other damp areas.

Most common uses

It has both herbal medicinal uses, and culinary uses too. The main medicinal uses of marshmallow include digestive support, immune support, treatment of skin conditions, and urinary tract support.

And it’s used in particular for sore throats and coughs.

How it can be bought

You can purchase packets of marshmallow plant leaves, either on their own, or blended with other herbs, or you can buy it in capsule form, or you can buy it in the form of a cream or ointment, or you can buy the root extract as a tincture, whereby you add a few drops to a drink of water.

All of these types of purchase are suitable for consumption by both vegetarians and vegans.

History of The Marshmallow Plant

Naming

The Marshmallow plant was named by the Greeks with the genus name Althaea coming from the Greek word “althos” meaning healer, which denotes the appreciation the Greeks had for its healing capabilities.

And as this particular species of Althaea was considered their official healer, the species was given the name officinalis.

Ancient Egypt, Circa 2000 BC

The first known culinary uses of the marshmallow plant date as far back as about 2000 BC, when it was used exclusively as a treat for the Pharaohs and as gift to the assorted Egyptian gods.

Pieces of root pulp were boiled, and the sap from the root of the marshmallow plant was mixed together with honey until thick, then the mixture was strained and cooled before being used as a confection.

Ancient Rome

In Roman times, a dish of the edible marshmallow vegetable was one of their delicacies.

Middle Ages

The root of the marshmallow plant was also used during the Middle Ages as a treatment for sore throats.

Mid 19th Century France

The French, in the early to mid 1800s, then decided to augment the plant’s medicinal properties in a new recipe.

The sap from the mallow root would be whipped, and a soft spongy dessert was made, together with sugar, water and egg whites.

It would then go on to be sold in candy stores as a lozenge, where it went on to work as an excellent, sweet way of soothing a sore throat.

And now, our modern day marshmallow sweets are made from a very similar recipe, but now the marshmallow plants’ root has been replaced with gelatin.

Medicinal Uses of Marshmallow

The active ingredient in marshmallow remedies is the mucopolysaccharides that they contain. These are basically just chains of sugar molecules, much like those found in the fluid around our joints and in our mucus.

These mucopolysaccharides simply form a coating in our bodies on consumption and this coats the irritated membranes to provide soothing relief to the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach lining.

Help to Ease Coughs and Colds

A study in 2005 found that a herbal mixture combining marshmallow root, dry ivy leaf extract, thyme and aniseed, was effective in treating coughs that were caused by colds, bronchitis and respiratory tract diseases.

It is thought that the chemical makeup of the marshmallow root acts as an enzyme to loosen mucus in the throat and respiratory tract and inhibit the growth of bacteria there.

Lozenges that contain marshmallow root can not only help to relieve a dry cough, and they can also ease an irritated throat.

How to use it

If you are suffering with a dry cough or a sore throat, you can ease it by taking 10 ml of marshmallow root syrup every day until your symptoms have gone.

Or alternatively, you can drink a few cups of marshmallow tea throughout the day. (There’s a recipe for this further on if you just scroll down.)

Help To Relieve Skin Irritation

Marshmallow root is also thought to help with a number of different skin conditions, where the skin has become irritated through furunculosis, eczema, and dermatitis.

A review paper in 2013 that looked into how plants can help with skin conditions found that 20 % concentration of marshmallow root can be used to reduce skin irritation.

It is thought that the herb stimulates certain cells in the skin at the source of the irritation that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Using marshmallow root alone however is not as effective as using a dedicated anti-inflammatory prescription medication. But when this ointment is combined with other anti-inflammatory ingredients, you get an improved effect.

The exact mechanism of action is not yet known, so more research on this is required.

How to use it

If you have irritated skin, you can help to relieve it by applying an ointment containing a 20 % concentration of marshmallow root on the affected area 3 times each day.

Please Note

Before using any topical medications on your skin, including herbal ones, it is important that you carry out a patch test first to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.

This is easy to do. All you have to do is rub a small amount of the ointment onto the inside of your forearm.

If you don’t get any irritation or inflammation for the next 24 hours, then the ointment will be safe to use elsewhere on your body.

Help With The Healing of Wounds

Marshmallow root has antibacterial properties that can make it effective in healing open wounds.

A study in 2015 found that when marshmallow root was applied topically to wounded rats, that it significantly increased wound healing compared to the control group of rats. The healing was speeded up, and the inflammation was reduced.

It is thought that the marshmallow root extract can treat gram-positive bacteria, that is the bacteria responsible for over 50% of the infections that occur with open wounds.

How to use it

To help heal your wound with marshmallow root all you need to do is apply an ointment or cream containing marshmallow root on to the affected area 3 times a day.

Please Note

Before using any topical medications on your skin, including herbal ones, it is important that you carry out a patch test first to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.

This is easy to do. All you have to do is rub a small amount of the ointment onto the inside of your forearm.

If you don’t get any irritation or inflammation for the next 24 hours, then the ointment will be safe to use elsewhere on your body.

Help With The Health Of Your Skin

There has been some research to support the use of marshmallow root extract in skin care formulations, to aid skin that has been subjected to UV radiation.

The exact nature of how the marshmallow root extract helps with this is not yet fully understood, and more research is needed.

How to use it

To help improve your overall skin health with marshmallow root all you need to do is apply an ointment or cream containing marshmallow root to your skin once in the morning and once in the evening.

You can apply it more often if you have increased sun exposure.

Please Note

Before using any topical medications on your skin, including herbal ones, it is important that you carry out a patch test first to ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.

This is easy to do. All you have to do is rub a small amount of the ointment onto the inside of your forearm.

If you don’t get any irritation or inflammation for the next 24 hours, then the ointment will be safe to use elsewhere on your body.

Help With Pain Relief

A study into the effects of medicinal plants for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders talks about how marshmallow root can act as an analgesic to relieve pain. It is particularly recommended for use in the digestive tract, for example for pain and irritation caused by a sore throat or an abrasion.

How to use it

You can take a 2 to 5 ml dose of liquid marshmallow extract at the first sign of discomfort, and then 3 times a day after that until the discomfort has gone.

Help With Flushing Out Excess Fluid

Marshmallow root extract is also thought to have diuretic effects, and can help to cleanse the kidneys and bladder by flushing out any excess fluid.

There has also been some research to suggest that marshmallow root extract can help to relieve both irritation and inflammation in your urinary tract.

And more research to suggest that its antibacterial properties can help to treat infections in the urinary tract.

How to use it

To use as a diuretic, you can drink a few cups of marshmallow tea several times throughout the course of the day. (There’s a recipe for this further on if you just scroll down.)

Help With Digestion

Marshmallow root extract is also thought to help with a number of different digestive conditions. These include heartburn, constipation, and intestinal colic.

A study in 2011 discovered that an extract of the marshmallow flower (not the root this time) can help to treat gastric ulcers.

Continuous use of this extract over the course of a month showed that some kind of anti-ulcer activity was taking place in the rats in the study, though the exact mechanism of action is not known.

How to use it

You can take a 2 to 5 ml dose of liquid marshmallow extract at the first sign of discomfort, and then 3 times a day after that until the discomfort has gone.

Important Precautions

It is not advised to take marshmallow remedies when you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you have a medical condition or take prescription medication, we strongly advise that you consult with your doctor before doing a course of herbal remedies such as this.

Culinary Uses

You may be pleased to hear that marshmallow plants can be used to make nice teas and smoothies. We will share some quick little recipes with you.

Marshmallow Smoothie Recipe by Sergei Boutenko

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh marshmallow leaves
1 cup of frozen raspberries
Half a honeydew melon

Method

All you have to do is blend these ingredients with some water until you get a nice, smooth drink. You can use as much or as little water as you like.

If you were to boil the root of your freshly harvested marshmallow root, you will get that lovely sweet layer of sap that you can whip to make your own marshmallow sweet, too.

Marshmallow Tea Recipe

You have to be careful when making marshmallow tea, because the mucopolysaccharides that work as the active ingredient can be destroyed by heat, so instead of using boiling water as you normally would, you must instead brew the tea at room temperature.

Ingredients