The nutritional characteristics of purslane include being rich in potassium, carotene, glutathione, and flavonoids. It is a rare plant-based food source of alpha-linolenic acid.
In China, fresh purslane decoction is commonly used in folk medicine to treat acute enteritis, diarrhea, and dysentery, and is considered an excellent remedy for clearing heat, detoxifying, and killing bacteria to reduce swelling. American scientists have discovered that purslane contains a large number of effective components for preventing and treating atherosclerosis. Chinese researchers fed rabbits separately with cholesterol and purslane powder, and found that the total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) in the rabbits' blood significantly decreased, while good cholesterol significantly increased, and whole blood viscosity decreased. Microscopic and electron microscopic observations of the animals in the purslane-fed group showed reduced lipid deposition in the aortic wall, less intimal hyperplasia, and fewer foam cells. Serum superoxide dismutase activity was enhanced, and serum malondialdehyde content decreased, both of which are beneficial for protecting the cardiovascular system and preventing heart disease.