One common weed that is welcome and around until frost is a low-spreading succulent in the Portulaca family called Purslane. Portulaca oleraceae is common everywhere in WNC. It’s prized almost everywhere in the world except the U.S. and that’s a shame, as it is one of the world’s most amazing superfoods. It can spread like a carpet, especially in good soil. It grows low to the ground but can reach six inches tall and is an annual in our climate. Purslane has reddish, smooth stems, leaves that are small and fleshy, and can develop small yellow flowers in the growing season. They tolerate drought well and seem to thrive under any condition.

Purslane is loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids and huge amounts of vitamins and minerals. It has more than 20 times the antioxidant melatonin than any other fruit or vegetable, six times more Vitamin E than spinach, and seven times the beta-carotene of carrots.

Purslane has been used medicinally for the treatment of arthritis, burns, headache, and diseases of the intestine, liver, and stomach. Two of its pigments have been identified as anti-mutagenic, meaning they prevent cells from mutating, which is how cancer starts. So who knows, purslane may become a frontrunner in the treatment and prevention of cancer. Amazing! No wonder purslane is sold in markets all over the world.

It’s time we wake up in this country and recognize green gold is growing everywhere. You don’t have to plant it or weed it, as it’s already a prolific weed–and you don’t need to water it.

Purslane is native to India and the Middle East but has spread worldwide. References in history date back to the 7th century in Greece, both as a food and medicine. Aborigines in Australia make seed cakes from the tiny seeds, and the Greeks made bread from the seed

Purslane: an ingredient to look for to achieve skin that's good from within

Here's why this humble plant should be an essential part of your beauty regime

Purslane is a succulent and skincare savior.

To put these into perspective, consider: vitamins E and C are strong captors of the free radicals that wreak havoc on our skin; combining them is symbiotic since they are able to regenerate each other. That they occur together naturally in purslane makes this a powerful anti-aging catalyst. Add to that the plant’s beta-carotene component – the stuff that glowing, UV-protected skin is made of.

Throw omega-3 fatty acids into this heady mix, and you introduce the anti-inflammatory properties that are a crucial part of the skin’s natural lipids, which bolster the barrier function. However, we lose these good, skin-plumping fats as our cells mature, and so a product with omega-3 acts like a seal – locking moisture in and irritants out.

The dramatic results are linked directly to the 23 pairs of chromosomes that carry human DNA. At the end of each chromosome is a protective cap called a telomere. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres are snipped shorter, until eventually, they stop working.

Enter purslane. Clinical trials have proved that the plant mediates and up-regulates the telomerase enzyme, which in turn prevents the telomere cap from shortening. Commonly known as the youth enzyme, telomerase was the subject of the study that won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

“Because of the antioxidant, hydrating and photo-protective properties exhibited by purslane, using it in beauty products should improve blood flow and hydration, brighten the skin and stimulate cell repair,” confirms Dr. Sonia Wilson, a specialist dermatologist at RAK Hospital. “This, in turn, decreases the appearance of wrinkles, redness, and scars. Some studies have shown that consuming purslane [diminishes] oral lichen planus, a chronic inflammatory skin condition. And products containing purslane are even suitable for reactive and sensitive skin,” Wilson explains.

Despite this uncontested evidence, though, only a handful of skincare companies that uses purslane, and the only one to do so across its product range. “Purslane has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for a number of curative reasons,” explains John Eakins, managing director of Nord Mason Asia, the parent company of Huxley. The skincare brand from Singapore lists prickly pear cactus seed oil as its hero ingredient and combines this with purslane in its top-selling Secret of Sahara Anti-Gravity cream. “Purslane is a perfect complement for Huxley because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which when combined with our oil, forms a protective barrier and helps skin to better absorb the antioxidants and vitamins from other ingredients.”

You’d be forgiven for believing that purslane is a sparse herb that needs to be grown in hyper-idyllic conditions on the foothills of some fabled mountain. The truth is it can and does grow everywhere and was, inaccurately, considered an annoying garden weed until a few years ago. After much research we here at Private Label Skincare Florida. have not only added this incredible superhero superfood to our line up but have found a fermented version that is even better, in that it helps keep the microbiome of the skin protected.  Please call us today to have this incredible superfood added to one of our incredible skincare formulas.  We have several hundred to choose from, so let’s get started with an entire line of incredible, very effective line.  Adding this to one of our well aging or other lines is sure to cause a buzz in the industry.