Fourwing saltbush as a salt source?

[grrlscout]

I was reading up on fourwing saltbush, as it's pretty common around here. It's edible (but not very tasty, in my experience), and has other uses, for example, its ashes can be used as a leavening and nixtamalizing agent.

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It's known to thrive in salty, alkaline soils. It's my understanding that it absorbs the salts into its leaves, and as the leaves fall off, the salt is removed.

So I'm wondering if you were out in the desert, sweating like crazy, could you eat the leaves to help boost your electrolytes?

[grrlscout]

I may have found the answer myself.. according to this, it gives cattle necessary salts when they eat it. So.... if it's good enough for cattle, it's good enough for me.

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/saltbush.htm

[Rick]

Adding salt adds to dehydration. The more salt you intake the more water you'll need. Hyponetremia, low concentration of sodium in the blood, generally only occurs in very extreme exertion like triathlons. A simple hike in a hot environment should not create a hyponetremia situation unless you have some underlying medical condition.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyponatremia/DS00974

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000394.htm

[grrlscout]

Even better to know!

[Rick]

You might be able to use it for a food seasoning in place of salt. I don't know anything about the plant other than what you've posted but if it is salty tasting then could it be used for seasoning? I know you said it was not tasty alone but with other flavors it might be more palatable.

[hunter63]

Back in a previous life....they had salt tablets in the factory for hot weather.
Guess it was recommended to not take them....and they were removed, ....actually did see anyone use them anyway.

Plant salt sources questions seem to be showing up around the interweb, lately....and am still looking for a record of a Bradford Alger book passage the suggests salsify ashes as a seasoning. (if I remember correctly)...book is gone from the local library....tossed out as being too old.

Wish I would have known that, I was the only one to check it out several times in the later years.......Heck I would have bought it.

[grrlscout]

Culinary uses... now you speaka my language!