is comfrey leaf any good for green smoothie

[snowdrop]

i have a huge comfrey plant but the fuzzy leaves are a real salad turn off to me.
i was wondering if anybody knows if it is a healthy plant to munch on, or one of those steer clear plants....

:confused:

thanks to anyone's expertise.

[vgloveforlife]

I grew up w/ comfrey plants all around. The leaves are edible but I wouldn't overdo it because there is some controversy with it.

It is great for external things though!

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Yes, they are! :-) We did it a lot at CHI. It is also the bone-knitter. Very powerful stuff.

But it will get gel-like, so don't use much.....you won't be able to drink it. Comfrey and water will make a sticky poultice.

[Healthnut]

I googled Comfrey and found this: Comfrey (Symphytum spp.) is native to Europe and Asia. Although comfrey has been used as a food crop, and as a forage crop, in the past 20 years scientific studies reported that comfrey may be carcinogenic, since it appeared to cause liver damage and cancerous tumors in rats. Comfrey-pepsin capsules, which are sold as a digestive aid in herbal and health-food stores in the USA, have been analyzed and found to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These alkaloids cause liver damage in people and are a potential carcinogen. Huxtable et al. (1986) cited cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease that were produced by using these capsules. These reports have temporarily restricted development of comfrey as a food crop.

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Yeah, alfalfa sprouts are "carcinogenic", too. Depends on who you want to believe. ;)

Pick up this gem:

Comfrey: Fodder, food & remedy by Lawrence Donegan Hills

You can only find it used, but it is worth it.

At Creative Health Institute we have football fields of Comfrey and ship the roots out at times for others to plant.

[snowdrop]

thanks for the reply all.
i had heard some scary stuff about it, and wondered
but i am picking up the book i found one used.
also good to know about it goo-ing up.
thanks!

i have been throwing the flowers into my salads.

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Yes, and start slow if there is any concern.
We put it in the energy soup, in our baths, and on injuries/open wounds at CHI....

[snowdrop]

what is CHI?