The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They are used as a potherb or to thicken soups due to their mucilaginous texture. The root can also be eaten raw or cooked, and in Syria they are said to make a palatable dish when boiled and then fried with onions. It is often used in times of shortage. The root is also dried then ground into a powder, made into a paste and roasted to make the sweet 'marshmallow' confection which has inherited the plant’s name. The root contains about 37% starch, 11% mucilage, 11% pectin.