oracle McCoy wrote:I am interested to know if anyone has done an extraction for mucopolyssacharides. I have heard of using the percolating method and then putting it in a double boiler, but I am not too confident in doing it yet.
Mucilaginous plants include marshmallow, nopal cactus, and chia seeds. Mucilage can be obtained by suspended cold infusion. Take the herb and place it in a porous sock or sieve to hang in a container of
water near the surface (but with room for the herb to expand) overnight. This is an excellent method for extracting many plants. It works by creating a turbidity current that washes the herb with clear water as the heavier, solute-laiden water sinks. If you throw the herbs in a pot overnight without suspending them, there will be a small amount of mucilage in the bottom and clear water above.
If you are just wanting to add some soluble fiber to your diet, nopal cactus, okra, sasafrass leaves (for gumbo), and chia seeds for drinks and oatmeal are excellent. Oh yeah, oats are great source of mucilage. There's no need to extract what you can just eat.
