Monk's beard (Agretti, Barba di frate), raw (organic?)

Use in the kitchen

Monk's beard is a Mediterranean spring vegetable that is particularly popular in Italy. Common Italian names that are also often used outside Italy include 'Barba di frate' and 'Agretti' ^1,2 - the singular 'Agretto' is less commonly used. The official botanical name is Soda inermis, but the synonym Salsola soda is widely used (see "Further information" below).

Visually, monk's beard resembles thick chives, and its taste is reminiscent of lightly salted spinach. Its taste is described as slightly earthy, sour and sometimes a little bitter. Depending on the growing area, monk's beard has a distinctly salty note. The long, thick stems have a pleasantly fleshy texture when raw. Before preparation, the plant should be cut off about 2 cm above the roots, washed thoroughly under running water and allowed to drain.

Can you eat monk's beard raw? You can eat agretti raw - young shoots are particularly tender. The raw spring herb can be mixed into salads, used as a decoration or topping, or enjoyed as a side dish. For lovers of raw food, monk's beard tastes great in a wild plant salad with dandelions, for example.

It is more common to briefly blanch Barba di frate before further processing. This way the vegetable retains its green color and crunchy consistency. Blanched, monk's beard tastes excellent with pasta, vegan antipasti or other Mediterranean dishes.

Spaghetti with agretti is a particularly popular recipe. All you need to do is briefly blanch the monk's beard, toss it in a pan with a little rapeseed oil, garlic, chili and perhaps cherry tomatoes and then add it to the spaghetti. The taste of briefly blanched monk's beard also comes across well in salads - e.g. with rocket, tomatoes, olives and pine nuts, with asparagus or fennel. It is also recommended to enhance vegan ravioli fillings, omelettes, frittata, pies and risotto with agretti.

Barba di frate can also be boiled, steamed, fried or baked. You can fry the vegetables with garlic, for example, deglaze with a little lemon juice and serve as a side dish or with toasted bread. But don't overcook it, otherwise the monk's beard will lose its taste and texture.

Vegan recipe for asparagus and monk's beard salad

Ingredients (for 4 people): 500 g fresh green asparagus, 1 bunch of monk's beard (approx. 250 g, raw, organic), 2 oranges (cut into pieces), seeds from 1 pomegranate, 1 handful of walnuts (chopped).

Preparation: Blanch the green asparagus for approx. 4 minutes. Add the monk's beard and blanch for approx. 1 minute. Remove the asparagus and monk's beard, place on a plate and serve with orange pieces, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. The vinaigrette for the vegan salad can be made in different ways - with or without oil (e.g. oil-free vinaigrette with walnuts and orange juice).

Vegan recipes with monk's beard can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Purchasing - Storage

Well-stocked branches of the Coop and Migros supermarkets sell the spring vegetables during the season, which lasts from March to May. Other supermarkets (e.g. Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, Hofer, Billa) and organic supermarkets (e.g. Denn's Biomarkt, Alnatura) rarely offer Barba di frate. During the season, you can find fresh Agretti at certain weekly markets, in select delicatessen and specialty shops, or directly from farmers. You can order monk's beard online - it is occasionally available there in organic quality.

If you cannot find organic monk's beard, you can buy organic seeds and grow the plant yourself in the garden or on the balcony (see chapter "Growing your own").

The availability of monk's beard varies depending on the size of the store, catchment area, etc. Our recorded food prices for the DA-CH countries can be found above under the ingredient image - and by clicking on them you can see their development at various suppliers.

Storage tips

Monk's beard tastes best when fresh. Otherwise, store Agretti wrapped in a damp cloth in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator; it will last for about 2-3 days. Can you freeze monk's beard? We advise against freezing monk's beard - the consistency will be mushy afterwards.

Ingredients - Nutritional values - Calories

Raw monk's beard is very low in calories and fat. 0.2 g of fat and around 18 kcal are to be expected per 100 g (the calorie information varies between 17 and 22 kcal depending on the source). ^3,18 Carbohydrates (includingfiber) are also only present in small quantities at 4.5 g/100g. ³ Proteins are contained at 1.8 g/100g. ^3,18

100 g of monk's beard contains 392 µg of vitamin A, ³ which covers 49% of the daily requirement. This is comparable to nettles (400 µg/100g) or dill (386 µg/100g). Carrots contain more than twice as much at 835 µg/100g. ⁴

Monk's beard contains the same amount of folic acid (80 µg/100g) ³ as garden cress (covers about 40% of the daily requirement). Spinach contains larger amounts of the water-soluble vitamin (194 µg/100g), which can also be eaten raw as a salad. ⁴ Cooking or heating leads to losses of heat-sensitive vitamins such as folic acid.

The raw vegetable provides slightly more potassium (606 mg/100g) ³ than, for example, raw spinach or fresh parsley and significantly more than chives (296 mg/100g). Lemon verbena is much richer in potassium (2420 mg/100g). ⁴

The Italian nutritional database BDA shows 14 mg of sodium per 100 g in this salt plant. ³ This puts it almost on a par with mung beans, garden cress or ginger. ⁴ In contrast, scientific studies repeatedly emphasize that halophytes such as monk's beard accumulate a lot of sodium depending on the soil conditions. ⁸ Unfortunately, we do not have any other data for samples from commercially available monk's beard shoots to put this figure into perspective (14 mg of sodium per 100 g).

The complete ingredients of raw monk's beard, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Effects on health

Is monk's beard healthy? Monk's beard is considered a healthy, nutrient-rich vegetable. However, one searches in vain for overview studies on its healthy ingredients. At least there are scientific publications on specific test series with various halophytes. For example, a study from 2007 examined the inhibitory effect of various extracts from the above-ground parts of Salsola soda ( Soda inermis), S. oppositifolia and S. tragus against the angiotensin-converting enzyme (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme; ACE). ACE leads to an increase in blood pressure and extracellular volume. The results provide scientific basis for the traditional use of Salsola species in the treatment of hypertension. ⁵

Secondary plant substances

Many of the health effects of monk's beard can be attributed to the secondary plant substances it contains. Our article on secondary plant substances provides an overview of the classification of the substance groups, their occurrence in foods and possible effects on humans.

According to current knowledge, agretti is known for the following secondary plant substances: ^1,2

• Isoprenoids: Saponins: Momordin IId, Momordin IIc; Triterpenoids: Dihexosyl-pentosyl-glucuronosyl-oleanolic acid
• Alkaloids: Tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids: Salsoline, Salsolidine, N-Methylisosalsoline
• Polyphenols: Flavonoids: Flavonols (rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronopyranoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucuronopyranoside)

However, it should be noted that the composition of the secondary plant substances in monk's beard can vary depending on the variety, time of harvest and growing conditions. Therefore, quantities are only of limited use and should only be understood roughly.

A 2020 study examined the chemical profile of cultivated monk's beard ( Soda inermis, formerly Salsola soda) compared to wild plants of the same species. While all of the above-mentioned flavonoids were found in wild monk's beard, only quercetin-3-O-glucuronopyranoside (3-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside) was significantly present in the cultivated plant. This substance proved to be an extremely effective inhibitor against certain enzymes. The results of this study suggest that the components of Barba di frate have the potential to have a positive effect on pathological conditions related to diabetic complications, inflammatory processes and in cancer therapy. ¹

A 2009 study investigated the effects of alkaloid extracts from three Salsola species ( S. tragus, S. oppositifolia, S. soda). The focus was on their role as antioxidants and as a promising anti-Alzheimer's agent. The extracts were found to be inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The study results show that the alkaloid extract of S. tragus strongly inhibits both AChE and BChE. In contrast, S. oppositifolia and S. soda are characterized by a selective effect against BChE. ²

Dangers - Intolerances - Side effects

Although our research has not revealed any information on any harmful effects of monk's beard, allergic reactions cannot be ruled out. Within the amaranth and goosefoot plants, the species Salsola kali (potash saltwort) and Chenopodium album (white goosefoot) are considered particularly problematic. Their pollen can cause irritation in the eyes and nose as well as respiratory problems. Cross-reactions with related species such as monk's beard are possible. ¹⁷

Danger of confusion

The potash saltwort ( Salsola kali ; syn. Kali turgidum) is a relative of the monk's beard ( Soda inermis, formerly Salsola soda). The original distribution area of this species included Macaronesia and the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean. It is an annual and grows mainly in the temperate climate zone. ⁶ In large quantities, the plant is considered poisonous or indigestible - nevertheless, private households use small amounts of young shoots for salads and sauces. ⁷

Folk medicine - natural medicine

In folk medicine, plants of the genus Salsola are traditionally used to treat high blood pressure, constipation and inflammation. They are also known as diuretics, soothing, laxatives and anti-ulcer agents. ^1,8

The diuretic properties of Barba di frate ( Salsola soda) can be found in the " Handbook of Pharmaceutical Botany " of 1804 - there it is called saltwort and soda saltwort. The herb can be found in pharmacies as Herba vitri. ⁹

Ecological footprint - animal welfare

The primary way to assess the climate friendliness of a food is by its CO ₂ footprint. This depends on various aspects such as the cultivation method (conventional/organic), seasonality, country of origin, processing, transport and, if applicable, packaging. CarbonCloud estimates the CO ₂ footprint of Agretti at 0.12 kg CO ₂ eq/kg (cultivated in Sweden). ¹⁰ According to this value, the cultivation of monk's beard is relatively environmentally friendly; packaging and transport are not included in these figures.

We do not have any concrete figures on the water footprint. However, scientific publications confirm the possibility of irrigation with salt water. The effects of salt irrigation on harvest quantities and ingredients are the subject of current research. ^8,13

In conventional agriculture, synthetic pesticides are often used to combat unwanted plants and insects. These have been proven to have a negative impact on the environment and affect important pollinators, birds and mammals, among others. Accordingly, when buying monk's beard, you should choose organic products in order to protect biodiversity and your own health. The use of such pesticides is prohibited in organic farming.

For detailed explanations of various sustainability indicators (such as ecological footprint, _CO2 footprint, water footprint), see our article: What does the ecological footprint mean?

In addition to its use in cooking, the plant can be used for the phytostabilization of polluted areas, as it can accumulate moderate amounts of trace metals. The plant shows promising potential as an alternative crop for saline soils with high selenium and boron content. ⁸

Worldwide distribution - cultivation

The original distribution area of monk's beard extends from the Mediterranean to southwestern Siberia and as far as Xinjiang. ¹¹ The herbaceous, shrub-like halophyte (salt plant) is widespread in southern Europe, especially in peripheral areas near the coast. ¹ Agretti was introduced (intentionally or unintentionally) in northeastern Argentina and California. ¹¹ In California, the species is considered moderately invasive. ¹²

Agretti is cultivated mainly in Italy, but also in Spain. Barba di frate can be grown on saline soils where other plants do not produce good yields, or in areas where irrigation is only possible with saline water. Monk's beard was also used to reclaim brackish swamps. ^8,13

In the past, the plant was also used as a source of sodium carbonate - hence the name 'soda'. Today, the plant is no longer grown for soda, but as a vegetable. ^1,8 Although Barba di frate is particularly popular in Italy, the vegetable is also eaten in gourmet restaurants throughout Europe and America. ⁸

Found in the wild

Monk's beard is an erect, glabrous annual plant that reaches an average height of about 70 cm in coastal regions. The succulent leaves are linear, 2-7 cm long, about 2 mm wide, shortly notched at the tip and green or reddish in color. Agretti are widespread in the temperate climates of Eurasia and Africa, but especially in the Mediterranean region. The halophyte typically inhabits salt marshes (marine and inland salt marshes) and usually grows on soils with a high organic content. ^{1,8,11, 13}

The plant is also one of the endemic species in the alkali grass landscapes typical of Central and Eastern Europe, such as those in the Carpathian Basin. ⁸

By the way: Some sources confuse monk's beard ( Soda inermis, formerly Salsola soda) with crow's foot plantain ( Plantago coronopus), also known as nasturtium or staghorn plantain, and incorrectly use the term 'monk's beard' as another synonym. Crow's foot plantain is also edible, but tastes very different. ¹⁴

Growing your own

How can you grow monk's beard? Monk's beard can be grown yourself, but it has some requirements for its location. It needs moist soil and - as a halophyte - soil enriched with salt. The plant thrives best in a location with plenty of sunlight. The soil used can be mixed with a little table salt (max. 2 teaspoons of salt per liter of pot volume, or 1-2 teaspoons of salt per plant outdoors). ¹⁵

From mid-April to May, the seeds can be sown directly into the bed. However, due to the short storage life and low germination rate of Agretti seeds, it is recommended to grow the plants indoors on the windowsill from February to April. ¹⁵

For germination, the soil temperature should be between 15 and 20 °C and the soil should always be moist but not wet. Under optimal conditions, the monk's beard seeds germinate within 7-10 days - but it often takes longer. Plants that are 3-4 cm tall can be transplanted into the garden bed or a pot on the balcony at a distance of 20 x 20 cm. Now you should ensure that they are watered regularly. Adding natural fertilizer every other week helps growth. ¹⁵

After about 2 months, Agretti can be harvested. To do this, cut off the shoot tips and leave about 5 cm of the shoot. The cut plant will sprout again after the first harvest if the soil is rich in nutrients. ¹⁵

Further information

The monk's beard, which once belonged to the genus Salsola and bore the species name Salsola soda, is now the type species of the genus Soda and officially bears the species name Soda inermis. ¹⁶ Despite the revised classification of the genus Salsola, the species name Salsola soda is still very common, even in scientific studies.

The genus Salsola (commonly known as saltworts) belongs to the family Amaranthaceae (formerly Chenopodiaceae). The genus name is derived from Latin words such as 'salsus' (salty) or 'sallere' (to salt), since halophytes taste salty. The old genus Salsola included about 150 species growing in extreme climatic conditions such as arid, semi-arid and temperate regions worldwide. They make up about 45% of desert plants. ¹⁶

Alternative names

Well-known synonyms for monk's beard are Agretti (or the singular Agretto), Roscano, Roscano Agretto, Barba di frate (Barba dei frati) and Liscari sativa; Erbette del Negus or Barba del Negus are also common. Incorrect spellings such as monk's beard or Agreti are also common, as is Moenchsbart. There are other names and expressions, but these often refer to several species, e.g. Sodakraut, Soda-Salzkraut or Salzkraut.

In English, monk's beard is known as agretti, opposite-leaved saltwort, oppositeleaf Russian thistle or barilla plant. Here too, the distinction between the botanical species can cause difficulties: for example, the English term opposite-leaved saltwort makes it difficult to distinguish between monk's beard and the related species Soda oppositifolia (or Salsola o.).

Other uses

Monk's beard was once in great demand for the production of sodium carbonate, which was used in the manufacture of soap and glass, for example. This impure salt was called 'barilla', hence the alternative name for the plant. Barilla was obtained from the ashes of monk's beard and other halophilic plants that are able to produce sodium carbonate from the sodium chloride in the soil. Barilla from monk's beard was favored in the glass industry over barilla from other land plants because it was richer in potassium salts and was therefore preferred for soap production. ¹³