Preparedness

[Altair]

I'm interested for the smoking and canning of food.
I'm only recently no longer a vegetarian and have a question.
What experience have you in shopping for meat? And what body parts of the animal can you recommend?
I know that the liver, bones and bacon are very nutritious (and other offal, eyes, brain, etc. but that's too disgusting).
Is it realistic (for a Family of 4) to create every half year a food stock? Organizationally, in any case, it is convenient, because the small (organic) farms in our region only a few times a year have slaughtering.

I look forward to your opinions.

I do not want keep animals for slaughter (I had read in the forum, that some hold rabbits). We have no room for it, and I would not want that in general (because I have a psychic harm by stock-breeding in my childhood (the death screams of the pigs and the fidgeting of rabbits at skinning to experience is very traumatizing as toddler. That was the rough time of the subsistence economy in Kazakhstan. I am also very sensitive. I already feel in passing, if a farm produces much suffering /makes self slaughtering or give this work to a butcher)....

Hi Alchemie,

I prefer to conserve lard as well as melted pork fat. The former can be very easy conserved: just cut the pork fat in middle-sized pieces, put it in a glass jar, add salt, some spices (pepper, garlic etc) and just keep it closed for at least a week. That's all. You don't even need to keep it cool. It won't decay because its nothing that waterfree fat. That's very popular in Russia/Ukraine.

Cheers

 

[Gwenllian]

I'm interested for the smoking and canning of food.
I'm only recently no longer a vegetarian and have a question.
What experience have you in shopping for meat? And what body parts of the animal can you recommend?
I know that the liver, bones and bacon are very nutritious (and other offal, eyes, brain, etc. but that's too disgusting).
Is it realistic (for a Family of 4) to create every half year a food stock? Organizationally, in any case, it is convenient, because the small (organic) farms in our region only a few times a year have slaughtering.

I look forward to your opinions.

I do not want keep animals for slaughter (I had read in the forum, that some hold rabbits). We have no room for it, and I would not want that in general (because I have a psychic harm by stock-breeding in my childhood (the death screams of the pigs and the fidgeting of rabbits at skinning to experience is very traumatizing as toddler. That was the rough time of the subsistence economy in Kazakhstan. I am also very sensitive. I already feel in passing, if a farm produces much suffering /makes self slaughtering or give this work to a butcher)....

Laura mentioned in this thread I think that she had made a nice deal with a butcher and bought the toughest and cheapest parts of the animal, but those are suitable for canning. Maybe go and ask some butchers in your area?
I have farmers in my village that keep pigs and I buy my beef from a farmer in my area. Then I get all kinds of meat and at the same time I buy bones, kidney fat, liver and what have you for a very low price.

Are there people beside family members that wish to buy meat in bulk? My farmer offers the opportunity to buy a whole cow, which lowers the costs per kilo considerably. FWIW.

Hi Alchemie,

I prefer to conserve lard as well as melted pork fat. The former can be very easy conserved: just cut the pork fat in middle-sized pieces, put it in a glass jar, add salt, some spices (pepper, garlic etc) and just keep it closed for at least a week. That's all. You don't even need to keep it cool. It won't decay because its nothing that waterfree fat. That's very popular in Russia/Ukraine.

Cheers

Altair, do you know why the pork fat doesn't get rancid, when you put it in a jar and keep it closed? I would think that eventually it would turn rancid. Do you add much salt and garlic?

 

[Altair]

Altair, do you know why the pork fat doesn't get rancid, when you put it in a jar and keep it closed? I would think that eventually it would turn rancid. Do you add much salt and garlic?

Hi Mariama,

it won't get rancid because because salt is very good and natural preservative.
And yes, you need much of that: pork fat pieces should be actually rolled in salt.

Salt pork isn't just American, of course; it has been used for hundreds of years by sailors and other travelers since it would stay tolerably fresh for long periods of time. It used to be made from any leftover bits of pork and pork fat left after butchering, which would be pressed into a barrel and salted down for preservation. It was a standard ration on ships, for soldiers and for sailors. Hardtack and salt pork were basic rations during the American Civil War.

Source:
http://www.thekitchn.com/less-meat-more-flavor-salt-por-68491

One of the receipts to make salt pork:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Curing time: 48 hours
Total Time: 48 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 pounds
Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. boneless pork belly cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
10 oz. kosher or other non-iodized salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preparation:

Combine the salt and sugar.

Rub the pork belly slices with some of the salt and sugar mixture.

Spread a layer of the sugar and salt mixture on the bottom of a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel container. Place a layer of pork belly slices on top.

Sprinkle the slices with a little more of the salt and sugar mixture. Add another layer of pork slices. Continue adding layers of pork belly slices, sprinkling each layer with the salt and sugar mixture.

Cover and refrigerate. The salt pork will be cured and ready to use in 2 days. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a year (it is still safe to eat after this, but the flavor declines).

To use, rinse off the salt pork slices. Pat them dry with a paper or clean cloth towel. Cut into cubes or small strips. Cook over low heat until most of the fat is rendered out. Sautee a chopped onion in the rendered salt pork fat and you're well on your way to making great chowder!

Source:

http://foodpreservation.about.com/od/Salting/r/How-To-Make-Salt-Pork.htm

 

[Gwenllian]

Altair, do you know why the pork fat doesn't get rancid, when you put it in a jar and keep it closed? I would think that eventually it would turn rancid. Do you add much salt and garlic?

Hi Mariama,

it won't get rancid because because salt is very good and natural preservative.
And yes, you need much of that: pork fat pieces should be actually rolled in salt.

Salt pork isn't just American, of course; it has been used for hundreds of years by sailors and other travelers since it would stay tolerably fresh for long periods of time. It used to be made from any leftover bits of pork and pork fat left after butchering, which would be pressed into a barrel and salted down for preservation. It was a standard ration on ships, for soldiers and for sailors. Hardtack and salt pork were basic rations during the American Civil War.

Source:
http://www.thekitchn.com/less-meat-more-flavor-salt-por-68491

One of the receipts to make salt pork:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Curing time: 48 hours
Total Time: 48 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 pounds
Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. boneless pork belly cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
10 oz. kosher or other non-iodized salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Preparation:

Combine the salt and sugar.

Rub the pork belly slices with some of the salt and sugar mixture.

Spread a layer of the sugar and salt mixture on the bottom of a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel container. Place a layer of pork belly slices on top.

Sprinkle the slices with a little more of the salt and sugar mixture. Add another layer of pork slices. Continue adding layers of pork belly slices, sprinkling each layer with the salt and sugar mixture.

Cover and refrigerate. The salt pork will be cured and ready to use in 2 days. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a year (it is still safe to eat after this, but the flavor declines).

To use, rinse off the salt pork slices. Pat them dry with a paper or clean cloth towel. Cut into cubes or small strips. Cook over low heat until most of the fat is rendered out. Sautee a chopped onion in the rendered salt pork fat and you're well on your way to making great chowder!

Source:

http://foodpreservation.about.com/od/Salting/r/How-To-Make-Salt-Pork.htm

I think I will give it a go next time I have some pork fat. :) I just bought a large bag of Celtic Salt. Thanks, Altair.

Psyche and MK Scarlett talked about the use of salt as a natural preservative and posted some recipes and pictures in this thread, I think.

 

[Altair]

If it came down to being holed up somewhere counting down the days until my last can of meat was eaten...well I would like to be gone long before that.

Yup. No matter how many bags of buckwheat and everything else you stash away, they are going to run out at some point. You are just prolonging the inevitable. Unless it's just for the short-term till things get stabilized again. IF they do.

If there's going to be a catastrohe, I want the end to be swift and painless. I even addd that in my nightly prayers to the DCM. Funny, that night I had a very realistic dream of being in a house and looking out the window to see a huge tsunami wave that came out of nowhere and was about to engulf everything. In those split seconds I remember thinking, well, this is the end and it's pretty swift all right. Then everything in the dream went grey and I jerked awake with my heart pounding wondering if I just had a preview....

Funny, I have been dreaming about tsunamis for the last 10-15 years. Especially a couple months before the tsunami in Indonesia 2004. The scenario is almost the same: I am at the coast and gazing at the horizont and then a big black wave comes and swallow everything. I'm grown at the sea shore (the Black Sea).

 

[globalgrrl]

I have been reading this thread with some interest and I thank everyone for so many good ideas! I do feel I have some useful information myself to share. I have been studying survivalist techniques for a couple of decades now as well as studying medieval food and preservation techniques for three decades.

Regarding water - iodine is a much better way to purify it than chlorine, because it is better for your thyroid. Iodine nourishes one's thyroid, which is a crucial part of the immune system because it filters the blood and uses the iodine to kill bacteria and viruses in the blood. Chlorine will eventually destroy the thyroid.

Easy, cheap and light firestarters are made from dryer lint and wax. Push the dryer lint into the depressions in a cardboard egg carton, pour melted wax over it, then cut out the cups to use as a firestarter, similar to charcoal. A great way to use up the ends of parafin candles!

In the middle ages, people preserved fresh eggs by burying them in the flour barrel. This keeps air away from the eggs and extends their shelf life dramatically. Eggshells are air-permeable, which is why they eventually go rotten. You can leave eggs on the counter for a couple of weeks as long as you don't wash off the natural protective coating on the outside (maybe longer in cooler climates). Another methoud to block the air is painting the outside of the egg with wax.

I know folks on this forum are not fond of dairy, but having a large goat will improve one's eating habits considerably. You can make butter, fresh and hard cheeses as well as whey. Some cultures drink the whey, but many Scandinavian countries including Iceland use whey as a brine in which one can preserve meat and vegetables. It works very well in cold climates, and may be a viable option for folks once the ice age hits. Plus the dung from ruminant animals provides an excellent fertilizer, and dried dung can also be burned as fuel.

Do not forget buckets/barrels of brine (salt water) to pickle vegetables and fruits. Brine also provides electrolytes and probiotics.

A great way to preserve cheese is to cut it into chunks and immerse it in oil. Olive oil is great for this. Here in the States, marinated mozzarrella balls are very popular. Just add spices and garlic to the oil before you pour it over the cheese. Mason jars work well for storage containers. It does keep longer when refrigerated.

Arabic food is great when one is on the move. Falafel, (ground dried chick peas/garbanzo beans with spices) can be reconstitued with water, rolled into balls or patties and fried for a nutritious meal. More finely ground chickpeas can be made into hummus. A wonderful Arabic drink everyone should have on hand is sekunjabin. It is fruit juice (generally pomegranite or cherry, cranberry too) boiled with honey or sugar and vinegar, reduced to a syrup that is then added to water for a refreshing, tasty drink that is a natural source of electrolytes. We call it "Arabic Gatorade". Traditional sekunjabin is made from mint leaves boiled in sugar water. Sekunjabin keeps indefinitely.

People who plan to stay should consider investing in a Dutch oven. It is a large, lidded pot that is made from cast iron and is a very versatile cooking pot that can go directly on the coals/fire. It can also be used to bake bread. I know many of you in this forum don't eat bread anymore, but others in your group still might, and will be glad for it too! Bread is something one can trade for many goods. I would suggest storing bread yeast and taking some along if you need to "bug out". Making beer, wine or mead is going to be an important skill as well for which you will need yeast. Naan or flatbread can be made very thin and slapped on the side of the Durch oven to cook quickly, without yeast or other leavening. The Scotch make oatcakes, which is essentially flatbread made with ground oats, lard and water, cooked on a griddle or, back in the Middle Ages, a large cook stone. The stone would be slowly heated in the fire, or the fire built on top of it until it was hot enough to cook on. The ingredients for this type of bread are very portable and easy to cook (as well as gluten-free!) Speaking of stones, hot stones can boil water almost instantly. Prehistoric Irish would dig a hole on the shoreline, let it fill up with water, add fish and vegetables, then throw super-heated stones into the water to cook the food instantly. Often the stones would crack as they released their heat. I have used this methoud of cooking myself, and it works great. Another way to use hot stones is to dig a pit, put a bunch of large stones in the bottom, and then build a fire on top of it. Once the stones are good and hot, put out the fire, and layer the pit with foliage/seaweed and meat/fish. Add more hot stones on the top and let it cook. This is a convenient methoud of cooking pigs and larger animals. Also, a metal fire poker can be used to create hot drinks. Just heat the end of the poker in the fire, then plunge it into the liquid in your cup. The liquid will boil immediately, and the poker can be reused again and again.

I live in a very hot climate near the equator that makes it hard to keep food unrefrigerated for any length of time. Rice and flour have to go into the freezer because they get weevils, and I have even found little black beetles in my tea tin. The little bastards will even live in wasabi powder! Whole bay laurel leaves work pretty well to keep pests out of dry goods. Use liberally.

Don't forget peanut butter and other nut butters to store. They are very nutrient-dense and full of beneficial fats.

While I'm no longer a big pasta fan, prepackaged ramen is something I store. The noodles are easily reconstituted and it is cheap, portable and tradeable.

I am very fond of mushrooms, so I keep dried and tinned ones on hand. Once I start canning, I plan to can mushroom and onions together in bone broth as a topping for meat. A friend of mine turned me onto "meat slop", ground or shredded stewed meat in tomato sauce with shredded cabbage added, using the spices of your choice. The cabbage provides fiber and makes the meat go further. Great for paleo diets, and I'm sure it would can beautifully.

Herbs are easy to grow and will improve both one's cooking and nutrient profile. Just add water and they need little attention. They can even be grown indoors near a sunny window as long as it isn't too cold. I recommend chives, parsley, cilantro (coriander), scallions and cumin. I also grow garlic and ginger. Ginger can be preserved by slicing and cooking in sugar syrup, the others can be dried or fresh frozen.

I apologize for the length of this post, but so many good ideas posted before mine put my brain into overdrive.

 

[paralleloscope]

Great tips to keep in mind, globalgrrl. Seeing this is your first post on the forum, we would appreciate it if you would post a brief intro about yourself in the Newbies section, telling us how you found this forum, how long you've been reading it and/or the SOTT page, whether or not you've read any of Laura's books yet, etc.

 

[Altair]

I recommend to store the following foods:

1. Linseeds. They are very rich on fats and proteins. The ground linseeds can be used raw with some water. No need for cooking.


Linseed, or flaxseed, is one of the most potent sources of omega 3 fatty acids found in nature. It has a whole host of health benefits, and best of all, these benefits apply to everyone. Read on to learn more.
What is Linseed/Flaxseed?

Linseed, also known as flaxseed, is the richest source of omega 3 essential fatty acids. It contains 50 to 50 percent omega 3s, almost twice as much as is contained in fish oil. Because it comes from a plant source, it is perfect for vegetarian and vegan diets, although it benefits everybody. Linseed/flaxseed oil differs from most vegetables oils in that it provides linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid, both of which are needed by the body and must be obtained through the diet.
Benefits of Linseed/Flaxseed

Linseed improves the quality of hair, nails, and skin, helps to regulate body weight, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and prevents arthritis and cancers. It has the following benefits:

• Heart disease – the omega 3 fatty acids lower high blood cholesterol and triglycerides. They also decrease the probability of clots in the arteries which may lead to stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or peripheral vascular disease occurring. They can also lower high blood pressure.
• Cancers – according to research, omega 3 fatty acids can kill human cancer cells on the same culture.
• Arthritis – omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to be helpful in the treatment and prevention of arthritis.
• Asthma – linseed oil can relieve asthma noticeably by decreasing inflammation and improving lung function.
• PMS – omega 3 fatty acids can relieve or even eliminate PMS symptoms.
• Allergies – omega 3 fatty acids help to decrease allergic response.
• Water retention – linseed oil helps the kidneys to remove sodium and water.
• Skin conditions – linseed oil is renowned for its ability to improve the texture and quality of the skin, and will also alleviate skin conditions that are caused by the lack of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet.
• Vitality – the use of linseed oil can result in increased vitality and more energy. Stamina is improved.
• Feeling calm during stress – omega 3 fatty acids prevent excess toxic biochemicals that the body produces under stress.

The flax plant yields the fibre from which linen is made as well as seeds and oil. Linseed is highly unsaturated and heart healthy. The lignans and other components of the seed may also have antioxidant properties, allowing them to reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals.
Using Linseed/Flaxseed

Linseed, or flaxseed, has a pleasant, nutty flavour and can be sprinkled on cereals, into yoghurts, and smoothies. You can also choose to take it in the form of the oil, or as a supplement in capsule form. To gain the most benefit from the seeds, be sure to grind them or chew them very well otherwise they will simply pass through the body whole. Keep the seeds or oil refrigerated. Alternatively, keep the oil in a dark place. Do not use the oil for frying or sautéing.

The recommended daily dose for most people is at least 1000mg taken one to three times daily.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not consume large amounts of flax.
Indications of Omega 3 Deficiency

Some indications that you may be deficient in omega 3 fatty acids include:

• dry skin
• “chicken skin” – tiny, rough bumps that are usually found on the backs of the arms
• dry or unruly hair
• dandruff
• soft, fraying, or brittle nails
• menstrual cramps
• premenstrual breast tenderness

Source: http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/linseed

2. Sprouts of alfalfa, green mungo beens, broccoli etc. They can be grown in a sprout box/jar. You need no electricity just some water.
How to Grow Sprouts in a Jar: http://organicgardening.about.com/od/vegetablesherbs/a/growingsprouts.htm

3. Pork lard (salted or rendered)

 

[doublea1535]

People who plan to stay should consider investing in a Dutch oven.

Yep, they are heavy but very handy. One could take a larger dutch oven with legs and use that as a make-shift fireplace. Then a smaller dutch oven could be put inside of it for stew, broth, etc. You could grill or even ash-cook food like many native populations do. We have a very small fireplace that wouldn't work well for cooking if we needed to, so that was something I had thought of that might work in a pinch.

 

[Pierre]

I have been reading this thread with some interest and I thank everyone for so many good ideas! I do feel I have some useful information myself to share. I have been studying survivalist techniques for a couple of decades now as well as studying medieval food and preservation techniques for three decades.

Regarding water - iodine is a much better way to purify it than chlorine, because it is better for your thyroid. Iodine nourishes one's thyroid, which is a crucial part of the immune system because it filters the blood and uses the iodine to kill bacteria and viruses in the blood. Chlorine will eventually destroy the thyroid.

You're right. Chlorine is a powerful oxydant and irritant. Therefore it should be avoided if possible. Along with iodine, colloidal silver is an interesting water purifying agent.

I know folks on this forum are not fond of dairy, but having a large goat will improve one's eating habits considerably. You can make butter, fresh and hard cheeses as well as whey. Some cultures drink the whey, but many Scandinavian countries including Iceland use whey as a brine in which one can preserve meat and vegetables. It works very well in cold climates, and may be a viable option for folks once the ice age hits. Plus the dung from ruminant animals provides an excellent fertilizer, and dried dung can also be burned as fuel.

Icelandic goats resist to cold temperature, they provide dairy, fertilizer and combustible (dung), meat, skin and also warm fur. Their hair is long enough to be threaded. Modern animal breeds should be avoided, their resistance is low (weather, disease...) and they are usually too specialized (meat production, milk production, etc.)

People who plan to stay should consider investing in a Dutch oven. It is a large, lidded pot that is made from cast iron and is a very versatile cooking pot that can go directly on the coals/fire.

When I asked what a Dutch oven was, I was told it was about "outgasing" under covers and then pulling the covers over your or someone elses head

While this definition is technically correct, a Dutch oven is also a cooking pot made of cast iron:

Along this line, for the ones who have access to wood logs and or charcoal, an interesting investment is a solid fuel stove:

This one, in pristine condition, is for sale for 200 euros. You can find much cheaper ones. Our grandmothers used them to heat the house, have hot water ready (tea, bath), cook and simmer food, etc.

I apologize for the length of this post, but so many good ideas posted before mine put my brain into overdrive.

No apologies needed, it was a very interesting post. :)

 

[Laura]

Those of you on the paleo or keto diets, keep in mind that when times are tough, you can eat things that you would not necessarily choose to eat. Yes, it is ideal to have enough canned meat, but think also about the tradeablity of other things as well as the necessity for some variety and special situations. Wheat is about the most evil, but there are other grains that keep pretty well and can be tossed into meat broths for filler. Apparently, this is how the grandfather of the prophet, Mohammed, saved his people during the plague of Justinian. Having good bone/meat broth will probably be essential to survive unknown diseases-to-come.

I, personally, cannot tolerate any kind of dairy, but that's my genetics. There are those who have the ability to process it even if it is not optimal. The fact that casein binds opioid receptors might actually be a good thing at some point... So if you are one of those who CAN consume it without feeling like you have just swallowed pure acid, by all means, preserve cheese. If you can't, you can trade the cheese for a rabbit and add in some canned lard to bring up the fat content.

We can everything in sight around here. If the neighbor brings over a box of apples or figs or plums, into jars they go. Even if we don't think we want to consume the carbs right now, who knows what the morrow will bring?

 

[rymw]

Those of you on the paleo or keto diets, keep in mind that when times are tough, you can eat things that you would not necessarily choose to eat. Yes, it is ideal to have enough canned meat, but think also about the tradeablity of other things as well as the necessity for some variety and special situations. Wheat is about the most evil, but there are other grains that keep pretty well and can be tossed into meat broths for filler. Apparently, this is how the grandfather of the prophet, Mohammed, saved his people during the plague of Justinian. Having good bone/meat broth will probably be essential to survive unknown diseases-to-come.

I, personally, cannot tolerate any kind of dairy, but that's my genetics. There are those who have the ability to process it even if it is not optimal. The fact that casein binds opioid receptors might actually be a good thing at some point... So if you are one of those who CAN consume it without feeling like you have just swallowed pure acid, by all means, preserve cheese. If you can't, you can trade the cheese for a rabbit and add in some canned lard to bring up the fat content.

We can everything in sight around here. If the neighbor brings over a box of apples or figs or plums, into jars they go. Even if we don't think we want to consume the carbs right now, who knows what the morrow will bring?

Thank you for the advice, Laura. Over here, mason jars are rather expensive, usually costing USD2.10 a piece for the 1litre jars. So we have only been canning meat until now. But yeah, it's good to have a little variety should some of the less evil stuff come along. I for one can tolerate dairy very well (seems that my type B genetics work well with it) but organic cheeses are super pricey in these parts. Might as well just stick to broth and meat (smile).

 

[Nancy2feathers]

Dutch ovens are great to cook in. I use all my Grandmother`s cast iron pans and dutch ovens almost daily. It`s interesting how they work with their tight fitting lid that on the inside of the lid has little points. The liquid vapor from the meat rises to the lid and the liquid drips from the points down onto the meat without it escaping the dutch oven. It makes the meat so tender and scrumptious tasting! I made a pork roast yesterday using thyme and rosemary for herbs and threw in a cut up onion and lots of peppercorns, put dutch oven in the oven on low for the day. Very tasty and tender.

Years ago I cooked on an old Glenwood cast iron, wood cookstove. There were cast iron plates on the cooktop that could be removed and set the dutch oven down into the opening to cook food slowly. Pork and homemade sauerkraut were my favorite. I`m thinking of making some sauerkraut( in brine) in a crock. Then can it. Yummy.

Ren and I are putting together some plans to build a small smokehouse. Probably the size of an outhouse with small fire barrel on outside, piping smoke into smokehouse. We`ll be getting a pig to butcher in a couple weeks. As I understand, smoked meats cured with salt can last for years.

I`m looking forward to our next project!

 

[Altair]

I've been watching youtube channel of Fernando "Ferfal" Aguirre for a couple of days. This guy experienced in person the economic collapse in Argentina 2001 and he seems to have pretty reasonable advices how to survive in an urban area.

His youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheModernSurvivalist?feature=watch
His blog: http://www.themodernsurvivalist.com/
His book: http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Survival-Manual-Surviving-Economic/dp/9870563457/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380816265&sr=1-1

 

[Gwenllian]

I recommend to store the following foods:

1. Linseeds. They are very rich on fats and proteins. The ground linseeds can be used raw with some water. No need for cooking.

Linseed also has healing properties, when you boil it in water until it becomes like goo. It helps against sinusitis, boils and other infections of the skin/inflammation.
But you can also make tea of it which helps against diarrhea.