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HydrangeasThis article was prepared with the support of UFL flower delivery. Iceland moss (Cetraria islandica) is one of the best-known medicinal plants of the North. It's an ingredient in cough syrups and lozenges, and in Iceland it was once ground into flour and baked into bread. Let's look at what this plant is, how it really helps and which claims are just myths.
What Iceland moss is
Despite its name, Iceland moss isn't a moss but a lichen — a partnership between a fungus and an alga. Its body (thallus) is made of stiff lobes 3–10 cm tall, olive-brown or greenish on top and pale with white spots underneath. In damp weather the lobes are soft; in dry weather, brittle. It's sometimes confused with reindeer moss, which is a different lichen (Cladonia).
The lichen grows extremely slowly — only a few millimetres a year — so patches take decades to recover.
Where it grows
Iceland moss is found in cold and temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere: tundra and forest-tundra, Scandinavia, Iceland, Canada and mountain heaths of Europe and Asia. It likes open pine forests, heathland, rocky slopes and peat bogs. In Ukraine it grows in the Carpathians and Polissia. The lichen is sensitive to air pollution and accumulates heavy metals, so it only thrives in clean places.
Composition
- Polysaccharides — lichenin and isolichenin (up to 50–70% of dry weight). When boiled they form a mucilage that coats the throat.
- Lichen acids — fumarprotocetraric acid (responsible for the bitterness), protolichesterinic acid and small amounts of usnic acid, which are credited with antibacterial activity.
- Minerals and trace vitamins — in small amounts comparable to other plant foods.
What it really helps with
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) lists Iceland moss as a traditional herbal medicine. Its use is based on long experience rather than clinical trials:
- for a dry, irritating cough and irritation of the mouth and throat — the mucilage coats the throat and soothes the cough. This is the basis of Iceland moss lozenges and syrups;
- for temporary loss of appetite — the bitter lichen acids stimulate gastric secretion.
Lab studies have found antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity in lichen acids, and the polysaccharides are being studied as immune modulators, but reliable clinical evidence is still limited.
Myths about Iceland moss
Online, Iceland moss is credited with curing almost everything: tuberculosis, pneumonia, asthma, thyroid disease, prostatitis, cancer, arrhythmia and allergies, plus weight loss and "detox". There is no scientific evidence for any of this. Pneumonia, TB, asthma, cancer and heart disease need medicines prescribed by a doctor; a moss infusion can at most soothe a scratchy throat.
How Iceland moss is used
Tea (infusion)
Traditional recipe: pour 150–200 ml of boiling water over 1–2 teaspoons (about 1.5–2.5 g) of chopped dried lichen, leave for 10–15 minutes and strain. Drink warm up to 3 times a day. Honey or lemon softens the bitterness.
Milk decoction
A folk remedy for a scratchy throat: heat 1 tablespoon of lichen in a glass of milk in a water bath for 10–15 minutes and strain. Drink warm before bed.
Jelly
With long boiling, lichenin turns into a thick jelly that was eaten like porridge — this is how northern peoples used Iceland moss in hungry years.
If a cough lasts longer than a week, or you develop a high temperature, shortness of breath or blood in your phlegm, see a doctor straight away rather than continuing with herbal remedies.
Pharmacy products with Iceland moss
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| Lozenges (e.g. Isla-Moos, Isla-Mint) | Soothe a dry cough and scratchy throat and moisten the mucous membranes |
| Cough syrups with Iceland moss | To soothe a dry cough, often combined with other herbs |
| Dried herb and herbal teas | For making an infusion |
| Creams and ointments with the extract | As a soothing ingredient in skincare |
Read the leaflet and check the age restrictions before use.
Contraindications and precautions
- pregnancy and breastfeeding — safety hasn't been established;
- children — only on a doctor's advice;
- stomach or duodenal ulcers — the bitter compounds increase gastric secretion;
- hypersensitivity or allergy to lichens;
- flare-ups of chronic conditions.
The mucilage may slow the absorption of other medicines, so take them 30–60 minutes apart. Products high in usnic acid can harm the liver in large doses — don't exceed the recommended dose.
Harvesting Iceland moss
- Where: only far from roads and industry — the lichen accumulates heavy metals and radionuclides.
- When: in summer, in dry weather. Wet material goes mouldy.
- How: never strip a patch completely — leave some so it can recover. Remember it grows only a few millimetres a year.
- Drying: clean off debris and needles and spread thinly in an airy, shaded place. Store in cloth bags for up to two years.
Buying the dried herb from a pharmacy is safer and more sustainable — it's tested for purity.
Iceland moss in cooking
In Iceland, fjallagrös ("mountain grass") was gathered as food for centuries. It was soaked to remove the bitterness, dried, ground and added to bread, porridge and milk soup. Today it's used in teas, baking and even an Icelandic herbal liqueur. To reduce the bitterness at home, soak the lichen overnight in water with a little baking soda or salt, then rinse.
In skincare
Iceland moss extract is added to creams, shampoos and products for sensitive skin as a soothing ingredient. A homemade hair rinse or compress made from the infusion is generally safe, but do a patch test on the inside of your elbow first and wait 24 hours. The infusion won't cure acne or broken capillaries — see a dermatologist for skin problems.
FAQ
Is Iceland moss a moss or a lichen?
A lichen — a partnership between a fungus and an alga. It's called a moss by tradition.
Does Iceland moss help with a cough?
It's recognised as a traditional remedy for soothing a dry, irritating cough and a scratchy throat. A wet cough with phlegm or a chest infection should be treated by a doctor.
Can children take Iceland moss?
Only with a paediatrician's approval and in products approved for their age.
How long can I drink Iceland moss tea?
Usually no longer than a week without consulting a doctor.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
