Herbs And Your Health

[Verity Darkwaters]

I use to only cook with salt and pepper. I was a bland kind of girl. Until I found out how wonderful herbs were for your health. Plus, using herbs to spice your food up not only is good for you, but it makes boring foods you have had a million times taste amazing.

Some the staples I use is:

Garlic- Good for fighting infections. Good in almost anything, eggs, meat, vegetables, soup.
Red Pepper- Good for weight loss. Very good on salads and in vegetable dishes.
Rosemary- Gets rid of sinus issues/ allergies. Love it on chicken and potatoes.
Parsley- Good for digestion. I put a dash of this in soups, dips, potatoes, rice.
Cinnamon- Good for nearly everything under the sun. I use this a lot for baking and my breakfast foods like oatmeal, coffee, tea, toast.

Do any of you guys use herbs for health as well as flavor. If so which ones and what are some their benefits? What do you like to put those herbs on?

 

[Ellyn]

I think I actually ate too much over the weekend...I tried red rice for the first time in a long time, for three meals every day for three day, and maybe I didn't chew it properly because I haven't been hungry at all and have even felt a little blah. So, I made myself a strong cup of ginger tea this morning and have just felt so much better since then, even though it's been making me burp a lot.

- Garlic and onions in any bone broth is amazing for a rainy day, or feeling down with the flu, or just having a garlic-onion-salt craving.
- Oregano. I'm fortunate enough to live in a climate where Italian oregano thrives.
- Basil. I tried to grow some basil in my balcony, but I guess they needed much more sun than that! Too bad, I really enjoy the smell.
- Rosemary chicken...and yes, potatoes. Wonderful.
- Tarragon. I think of this as superpowered mint, so it goes great with lamb meat or chocolate.

When I have trouble sleeping, I like to make warm milk with vanilla and lavender.

 

[Food4thought]

I drink ginger and cinnamon tea in the winter and make my own herb teas in the sunday, from mint, figleaves and fennel. These all have health benefits.

I also use garlic almost every day in my cooking, and I frequently use ground red pepper, chilli pepper and indian spices.

 

[firelily99]

Herbs are wonderful not only for cooking but also their power to heal. I have grown my own herbs for years and use them for so many things. Its still a learning process but it is well worth it.

 

[Verity Darkwaters]

I agree with you firelilly99, I make teas and salves out of herbs all the time. We barely use medicine in our house. I totally forgot about ginger, thank you guys for reminding me. It is great for stomach issues as is peppermint and spearmint. I have actually never used Tarragon. I have seen a number of recipes that called for it, but never have had any on hand. I may have to try it. Ellyn, I love Oregano, it has a really unique flavor to it and is great for your immune system.

 

[Ellyn]

I recently found out that a common four-root spice in a lot of Chinese cooking that I eat, isn't just one plant like I thought it was, but a mix of Chinese angelica root, Chinese foxglove, peony, and a particular sort of Apiaceae (that's a taxonomy encompassing carrot, celery, and parsley.) All four are supposed to be anti-anemics. Much as I like Chinese cooking, I'm somewhat averse to traditional Chinese medicine only because I've read histories which have wise advisers feeding Emperors mercury just because it was shiny and pretty...and even nowadays "Made In China" is almost synonymous with "nobody producing this cares how many customers die from a toxin this contains as long as it's out and cheap".

So... it's neat to just learn the specifics of what goes into the food.

I have actually never used Tarragon. I have seen a number of recipes that called for it, but never have had any on hand. I may have to try it.

In addition to, I think, being a powerful sort of minty flavor that goes great in tea or jellied with lamb, I've also recently found out that tarragon and peppercorn are a couple of the go-to spices for a good Hollandaise sauce. Eggs Benedict, here I go!

 

[Verity Darkwaters]

Oh, Ellyn, that sounds absolutely amazing. I know what I am making for breakfast now! I do have peppercorn in my house, though I don't use it as much as I should. I did by some tarragon yesterday. I haven't tried it yet, but I will this morning. I have everything to make Eggs Benedict. I'm hoping my husband will like it, I'm sure I will. Thanks for the indirect suggestion. :P