What are the Health Benefits of Eating Spekboom Leaves?

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

Spekboom, or Portulacaria afra, is a South African succulent known to be exceptionally rich in vitamin C and other essential minerals. This edible plant, also known as elephant bush or porkbush, offers a host of health benefits, ranging from hydration and exhaustion relief to potent antioxidant support.

Quick Summary

Spekboom leaves are a nutrient-dense food, providing significant amounts of vitamin C, magnesium, and other minerals. They have been used traditionally for hydration, treating sore throats, and soothing skin ailments, and are a versatile culinary ingredient.

Key Points

Rich in Vitamin C: Spekboom leaves are an excellent source of vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant and supports the immune system.
Essential Minerals: They contain vital minerals including magnesium, manganese, cobalt, iodine, and selenium, which contribute to various bodily functions.
Natural Hydration: Traditionally used to combat thirst, dehydration, exhaustion, and heatstroke, the leaves offer natural hydration.
Soothes Skin Ailments: The juice from crushed leaves can be used topically as an antiseptic to treat sunburn, rashes, insect bites, and pimples.
Relieves Oral Infections: Chewing spekboom leaves is a traditional remedy for soothing sore throats and treating mouth infections.
Versatile Culinary Ingredient: With a tangy, lemony flavor, the leaves can be added raw to salads, cooked in stews, or used as a garnish.

A Nutritional Powerhouse: The Spekboom Leaf

Spekboom leaves are not only a versatile addition to your diet but are packed with a rich profile of vitamins and minerals essential for optimal health. Its status as an edible plant, consumed for generations in Southern Africa, is supported by its high nutritional value.

Rich in Vitamin C for Immune Support

One of the most well-documented benefits of spekboom leaves is their very high vitamin C content, which has a tangy, lemony taste. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays a crucial role in immune function, protecting the body against oxidative stress and aiding in the absorption of iron. Regular intake can help to bolster the body's natural defenses and promote overall wellness.

Essential Minerals for Body Function

Beyond vitamin C, spekboom leaves are rich in a variety of other vital nutrients:

Magnesium: Important for bone health, muscle function, and energy production.
Manganese: Essential for enzyme activation, metabolism, and antioxidant defense.
Cobalt: A core component of vitamin B12, crucial for nerve function and red blood cell formation.
Iodine: Necessary for thyroid hormone synthesis, which regulates metabolism.
Selenium: An antioxidant that protects cells from damage and supports thyroid function.

Traditional and Medicinal Applications

For centuries, indigenous communities have utilized spekboom leaves for their medicinal properties. This traditional knowledge highlights the plant's effectiveness in treating various common ailments naturally.

Hydration and Exhaustion Relief

In arid conditions, sucking on a spekboom leaf is a traditional method to quench thirst and alleviate exhaustion and dehydration. The succulent nature of the leaves, which retain significant moisture, makes them an effective natural remedy for heatstroke.

Soothing Skin and Oral Ailments

Topical application: Crushed or juiced leaves can be applied to the skin to treat a range of conditions. The juice has antiseptic qualities and is used to soothe pimples, rashes, insect stings, and sunburn. Crushed leaves also provide relief for blisters and calluses.
Oral health: Chewing the leaves is a traditional treatment for sore throats and mouth infections.

Aiding Breastfeeding Mothers

In parts of Mozambique, it is a long-standing tradition for breastfeeding mothers to consume spekboom leaves, as they are believed to help increase milk supply.

Culinary Versatility of Spekboom

The tangy, lemon-like flavor of spekboom leaves makes them a unique culinary ingredient. Interestingly, their taste changes throughout the day, becoming less acidic in the evening. Here are some ways to incorporate spekboom into your meals:

Fresh in Salads: Add a handful of rinsed spekboom leaves to a fresh salad for a zesty, flavorful kick.
Flavoring Sauces and Stews: A small sprig can be added to tomato stews or chopped into sauces to impart a delicious flavor.
Garnish and Drinks: The small, attractive leaves can be used as a garnish for meals or even cocktails.

Comparison: Spekboom vs. Purslane

While spekboom (Portulacaria afra) and common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) are both edible succulents from the same plant family, they have distinct characteristics.


Feature	Spekboom (Portulacaria afra)	Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Appearance	Small, round, juicy leaves on reddish stems. Grows as a large shrub or small tree.	Fleshy, paddle-shaped leaves on smooth, reddish stems. Grows as a low-lying annual plant.
Nutritional Highlight	Rich in Vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, and selenium.	Notable for its Omega-3 fatty acid content, along with vitamins A and C.
Taste Profile	Tangy, lemony flavor that varies with the time of day.	Mildly sour and salty taste.
Common Culinary Use	Salads, stews, sauces, and as a garnish.	Salads, sandwiches, soups, and sautéed as a green vegetable.

Precautions and Safe Consumption

Spekboom is widely considered safe for human consumption, but a few considerations should be kept in mind. Always ensure the leaves are properly washed before eating. If harvesting from the wild, make sure you are doing so legally and sustainably, as it's illegal in some areas. Those with specific health concerns, particularly regarding diabetes, should consult a healthcare professional before relying on spekboom as a treatment.

Conclusion

Spekboom leaves offer a remarkable blend of culinary and medicinal benefits, making them a true superfood. From their high vitamin C content and immune-boosting properties to their traditional use in relieving dehydration and skin ailments, these juicy, tangy leaves are a valuable addition to a health-conscious diet. Incorporating spekboom into salads, stews, or as a garnish is a simple way to tap into this nutritional powerhouse. The rich concentration of antioxidants and essential minerals underscores its therapeutic potential, establishing spekboom as more than just a succulent but a plant with significant health purpose.

Slow Food Foundation provides additional context on the traditional use and cultural significance of spekboom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, spekboom leaves are edible and considered safe for human consumption. They are eaten by wild animals like elephants and have been part of indigenous diets for generations.

Spekboom leaves are juicy with a tangy, lemony flavor. The taste can change throughout the day, being more acidic in the morning and milder in the evening.

Yes, traditionally, sucking on a spekboom leaf is used to quench thirst and alleviate dehydration and heatstroke, due to its high moisture content.

The juice from crushed leaves can be used as an antiseptic to soothe various skin ailments, including pimples, rashes, insect bites, and sunburn.

Spekboom is highly nutritious, containing significant amounts of vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, iodine, and selenium, which all contribute to overall health.

You can add the raw leaves to salads for a zesty flavor, chop them into sauces, or add a sprig to stews to enhance the taste.

Chewing the leaves of the spekboom plant is a traditional remedy used to treat a sore throat and mouth infections.