Marshmallow: a treasure from the wetlands that gave marshmallow candies their name

• Into the wild: What is marshmallow?
• How a wetland herb became a famous sweet
• What the legends say and where the truth lies
• Use the power of marshmallow on your adventures, too
• An ancient treasure from nature has found its place in the modern world
• FAQ

Into the wild: What is marshmallow?

Marshmallow, Latin Althaea officinalis, is a perennial herb that can grow up to 180 cm tall. You can recognize it by its delicate pink flowers, velvety leaves and downy stem 🌺. It occurs naturally mainly in Europe and Western Asia. It prefers wet habitats such as riverbanks and marshes. This is also where the English name marshmallow comes from — a combination of the words marsh, meaning wetland, and mallow, meaning mallow.

The real treasure, however, is hidden beneath the surface — in the root of the plant. It contains significant amounts of mucilage polysaccharides and starches. While ordinary sugar dissolves when it comes into contact with water, these chains of sugar units can absorb water, increase in volume and thus create a gentle gel-like solution.

Since the times of ancient Egypt and Greece, this gel has traditionally been used, for example:

• on minor wounds, abrasions and mild burns,
• on blisters,
• after insect bites,
• to soothe irritated or reddened skin.

When used internally, it was intended to help relieve irritation of the respiratory tract, urinary tract problems and intestinal discomfort.

How a wetland herb became a famous sweet

But the use of marshmallow does not end in traditional medicine — its trail also leads into the world of sweets 🍬.

A jungle path, marshmallow flowers in the front left, a stone lamp and a tree in the back right, and towers of marshmallow candies in the background.

In ancient Egypt, the first confection was made from marshmallow root. The root was boiled, and the resulting mucilaginous mass was mixed with honey — creating a soft, chewy sweet. But it was not an everyday treat for everyone — only those from the highest social classes could enjoy it.

This sweet took on its modern form much later, specifically in bourgeois France. In the 19th century, the so-called pâte de guimauve, or marshmallow cream, was created there.

Local confectioners prepared it by hand from:

• marshmallow root extract,
• sugar,
• whipped egg white.

However, this traditional recipe only lasted until the Industrial Revolution. Processing the plant extract was labor-intensive and expensive, so manufacturers gradually replaced it with gelatin.

Although the plant is no longer used to make marshmallow candies, the name has remained and still refers to the plant behind their origin.

What the legends say and where the truth lies

Our journey continues from the wetlands to the laboratory 🔬.

According to an EMA report, meaning the European Medicines Agency, marshmallow root may contain more than 10% mucilage polysaccharides, approximately 25–35% starch and about 10% sucrose. Flavonoids are present in the plant only in tenths of a percent.

Marshmallow is traditionally associated with:

• care for dry, sensitive or irritated skin,
• protecting and moisturizing mucous membranes,
• soothing the throat and respiratory tract in case of unpleasant scratchiness or coughing,
• relief from urinary tract problems,
• supporting digestion.

But does science confirm these effects?

Laboratory research suggests that polysaccharides from marshmallow may be able to create a bioadhesive layer on the surface of cells — a protective film that may soothe tissue, protect it from irritating influences and even affect the cellular environment itself.

Animal studies have produced interesting results. They showed that marshmallow extract and separately isolated polysaccharides may suppress the cough reflex — reducing both the frequency and intensity of coughing.

Unlike some other substances commonly used for coughs, this effect was not related to bronchodilation. Studies suggest that marshmallow may act on serotonin 5-HT2 receptors and thus regulate coughing neurologically.

There are still few clinical studies in humans. One four-week study involving 60 people with cough caused by ACE inhibitors showed a statistically significant reduction in cough intensity in the group using marshmallow extract compared with placebo.

Although this study supports the benefits attributed to marshmallow, it cannot be taken as clear proof of its effectiveness. The participant sample was small, it involved a specific type of cough, and the composition of the extract used was not described in detail.

Even though science has not yet directly confirmed marshmallow’s effects, it does explain them biologically. And that is exactly why marshmallow has found its place in modern medicine as well — in combination with other substances, it is used in a number of registered preparations, especially cough syrups.

Research to date has not identified any negative effects.

Use the power of marshmallow on your adventures, too

Interest in natural and alternative approaches has been growing in recent years. Along with it, there is renewed interest in herbs that used to be a common part of home gardens and medicine cabinets. Marshmallow is one of them.

Growing this plant is not difficult, but you will have to wait a while for the harvest. The plant needs to grow and strengthen for several years before it makes sense to process the root. That is why many people choose ready-made marshmallow root extract instead of growing it themselves.

An ancient treasure from nature has found its place in the modern world

Marshmallow is a herb from Europe and Western Asia with a deep history dating back to antiquity. Its root can be used to prepare a gel-like solution rich in mucilage polysaccharides, which was used in medicine and confectionery — it was marshmallow that was used to make the first marshmallow candies in 19th-century France.

The effects of marshmallow are not just a legend — although it is not recognized as an official medicine, science explains its biological action, which is why it is still used as an ingredient in medicines today, most often in cough syrups.

 

Sources:

• Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis): Benefits, Safety, Uses | Herbal Reality
• Assessment report on Althaea officinalis L., radix

 

Author: Natálie Kubíčková

 

 

Photo: AI

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