Matteucia struthiopteris vs Lens culinaris medicinal

Side-by-side comparison of medicinal herbs

Herb

Matteucia struthiopteris

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Nutritive

Lens culinaris

Nutritive

Description

North American and European edible fern; young fiddleheads eaten as spring vegetable with nutritional value.

Ancient staple legume used in Ayurveda and Arabic medicine for digestive health, anemia, and nutritive support.

Active Compounds

beta-carotene, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants

iron, folate, proteins, flavonoids, polyphenols

Traditional Uses

food source, nutritive tonic, spring cleansing

Anemia in Unani medicine, Digestive support, Nutritive tonic, Food for convalescence

Modern Uses

nutritive food, antioxidant supplement

Iron-rich nutritive, Antioxidant, Blood sugar regulation, Digestive prebiotic

Adult Dosage

As food - young fiddleheads cooked

Cooked lentils as food regularly

Contraindications

raw consumption can cause GI illness

Gout - purine content, Kidney stones - oxalate

Side Effects

GI upset if eaten raw

Bloating, Purine accumulation in gout

Drug Interactions

0 known interactions

Reviewed by: HerbAlly Editorial Team, Medical herbalists and healthcare professionals

Sources: WHO Monographs · NCCIH · PubMed · Commission E