We don't hear very much about the heath pea these days, but back in King Charles II's time, it was a popular appetite suppressant.
Otherwise known as bitter vetch, heath pea (Lathyrus linifolius) was a necessity in Medieval times. Appetite suppressants weren't usually used for vanity's sake. Instead, they were a necessary evil, used to avoid hunger during years when crops failed. Eating the plant's tiny licorice-flavored tuber is said to have destroyed the appetite for weeks. Apparently, once potatoes took off, everyone's belly was kept full so the plant wasn't needed any more.
Charles II, however, reportedly was known for liking his women slim, even during the one time in history when full-figured women were in fashion. So he fed heath pea to his mistresses. Nice guy. I wonder what HIS waistline looked like.
Fast forward to our century, and obesity really is a problem. Today, London's Daily Mail is reporting that British researchers are studying the plant for possible use in an anti-obesity drug.
A very low-maintenance plant, the perennial can even be highly invasive in zones 7-9. It can tolerate sun or shade, and blooms with delicate purple flowers from mid-spring until late summer.
However, all parts of the plant are listed as toxic, and while they're great for naturalizing in a shady spot, I wouldn't recommend eating the tubers until more research is done. Those Medieval folks didn't live very long, did they?
Comments (2)
where can I obtain this vetch, is it purchased at a special food store or can I get it at any grocery store
Hi!
I have a very healthy crop of Bitter Vetch growing - they're currently producing seeds so I might be in a position to supply some later in the year. Don't expect a quick fix as I understand the tubers are not produced in any quantity until the plant is a couple of years old. As a relative of the sweet pea they're also a bit reticent about germinating - some come up in a matter of a week or two and others suddenly appear months after they were planted.