March 19, 2010
Platinum and dark blonde
Walking along the alleys of Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, I came across a vendor selling… what the heck is it? I was promptly told that it was buhok ng mais (literally, hair of maize)—corn silk. I did a little research and it seems that corn silk is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to prevent kidney and gall bladder stones, and for treating various urinary tract disorders. It is also a diuretic and has anti-diabetic properties. Impressive. I'll be willing to try infusions of corn silk, but I still say no to gecko tea.
Lol, yeah I remember the gecko tea. Well to me, it depends how th corn silk has to be taken, as it is or as tea too? Eating this seems a little difficult to me.
ReplyDeleteThat's a new one on me...never heard of such a thing. What with all the people growing corn in this country, there should be lots of this available!
ReplyDeleteWhat is gecko tea?
Hilda, before I read I thought it was human hair(silly me).
ReplyDeleteChinese medicine is big here, but I haven't seen this before.
PS we have plenty of gecko's!
I don't think I'd want to try that remedy either.
ReplyDeleteNeither remedy sounds particularly appealing, but if you ever get gall stones and decide to try the corn silk tea you need to let us know if it worked or not.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were showing off your new wigs for a second. :)
ReplyDeleteI've heard it said that sometimes the cure is worse than the desease.
Chrome-dome «Louis» thought for a minute there that you were going to mail him a toupee...
ReplyDeleteHad no idea that corn silk was medicine! I always pick every last one of them out of my corn before I eat it...maybe I should rethink this ;)
ReplyDeleteNever heard of this, but it is an eye-catcher!
ReplyDeleteHilda, thanks SO MUCH for your help with my comment box. I imagine I did somehow click the box 'no comments,' but how! Anyway, you're an angel.
Interesting... so how do they prepare the silk? As tea or...?
ReplyDeleteI love the texture and colors of this.
ReplyDeleteOmigod! I must have missed that post on gecko tea! Yuck! And double yuck!
ReplyDeleteAll of a sudden I'm not feeling so good. Think I'll go lie down!
I'm not an adventurous eater, nor drinker. I'll pass on both counts :)
ReplyDeleteI like tea, but I agree with you on the gecko infusion.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever try the cornsilk stuff, let us know how it tastes. I'm very curious now!
When I think of all the corn silk I've thrown away over the years, I can't help but wonder what it might have been worth.
ReplyDeleteI've just gotten used to green tea .... corn silk and gecko tea is just a bit over the top for me ...... no, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have once seen huge piles of this somewhere, but I think they used it as fertilizer...
ReplyDeleteWell, I must say it's not the most appealing thing to excite the sense of taste... :)
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Cezar
back in our province when we boil corn for eating, we don't throw out the water. we were encouraged to drink it like tea, for it's medicinal purposes.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere I did read that nature wouldn't ever do harm to itself, that's why I would give the first tea of yours a try, while leaving the gecko alive and kicking.
ReplyDeleteA nice weekend for you.
I tried to search for corn silk in Binondo but cannot find. Please tell the location where it is available.
ReplyDelete