If you’re someone who adds herbs
to your dishes on a regular basis, you likely do so for the flavors they add to
food. What you may not realize,
though, is that when used even in small amounts, many herbs have powerful
health benefits, whether they’re used fresh or dried.
The herbs mentioned here are some
of the most beneficial, are relatively easy to grow, or are readily available
in most supermarkets:
Parsley
Parsley is probably one of the
most widely used herbs to garnish a dish. It is also a practical tool for
cleansing the palate and freshening the breath after eating, so in that way, it
plays multiple roles on the plate.
However, limiting parsley in the diet to a sprig at the end of a meal
greatly limits its true health benefits as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic,
and digestive aid.
Just two tablespoons of fresh
parsley provide 1.5 times the recommended daily value for vitamin K, high
amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as folate and iron. In addition, one of its volatile oils,
myristicin, also supports glutathione, a major antioxidant that works to
detoxify the body.
Parsley is one herb that tends to
lose its flavor when dried, so fresh is best. To incorporate more parsley into the diet, add it to
scrambled eggs or omelets, sprinkle it onto grain dishes near the end of
cooking, flavor sautéed vegetables, juice it, include it in soups and stews,
mix it into salads and use it in your favorite pesto recipe. This
chicken soup recipe includes a wonderful pesto as a garnish made with
parsley, garlic, and basil.
Oregano
Oregano is another herb that acts
as an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and an antibacterial agent. What also may surprise you is that its
antioxidant capacity is actually greater than blueberries thanks in part to two
volatile oils, thymol and rosmarinic acid. Even dried, oregano is a good source of vitamin K, manganese
and iron and also provides calcium and vitamins A and C. It also provides fiber, and don’t
forget, green herbs like oregano and parsley are sources of chlorophyll, which
helps to purify the blood.
To add it to the diet, combine
oregano with other fresh herbs in egg dishes, add it to sauces and soups, mix
it into vegetables, and use it in marinades and dressings. Here
is a quick recipe for red bell pepper, spinach and goat cheese salad with a
simple oregano dressing.
Garlic
Who does not love the smell of
fresh garlic in a simmering pot on the stove? Garlic is a powerful antibacterial, it also exhibits
antiviral and antifungal properties and can be used to fight and prevent a
cold. As an anti-inflammatory, it
has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing the
oxidative damage done to blood vessel walls, lowering the accumulation of
plaque.
When using garlic, it should be
crushed or chopped and allowed to sit for a few minutes for the conversion of
alliin to allicin, one of its main, active ingredients. Although some people may not be able to
tolerate the heat of raw garlic, it’s best to eat it as raw as possible to get
the most of its health benefits. I
like to add it to a dish at the end of cooking so that it just warms through. Still, it is also wonderful roasted in
the oven or sautéed in dishes.
Garlic can be minced and added
into dressings and marinades, included in sauces and soups, the bulbs roasted
whole then spread onto bread, and soaked in oil to flavor it. The tender shoots, or scapes can also
be used any way that garlic is prepared.
Ginger
Ginger is probably best known for
treating conditions such as motion sickness, nausea and upset stomach. It is also used to relieve gas,
diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Ginger also contains compounds called gingerols
that act as anti-inflammatory agents and are believed to help relieve the pain
and swelling of arthritis.
Gingerols are also believed to act as potent antioxidants.
Ginger is a warming herb that can
induce sweating and help fight an oncoming cold or flu. Try making a tea by grating a small
piece of ginger then squeezing the juice into hot water, or simmering hot water
with sliced ginger and adding lemon and honey. It can be chopped and added to
stir-fries, juiced along with vegetables, and crystallized or candied and eaten
as a snack. Powdered ginger can
also be added to a variety of dishes and baked goods. Below is a recipe for a fresh vegetable and fruit juice that
includes ginger.
Tumeric
Maybe you have never heard of
tumeric despite the fact that you’ve probably eaten it many times. It is the culinary spice that gives
yellow mustard its yellow color.
Tumeric’s main active component, curcumin, has been the focus of many studies as a
therapeutic agent due to its anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-arthritic,
antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also a good source of manganese, iron, and
vitamin B6.
To get more of this bitter
spice/herb into your diet, add it into soups and stews, sprinkle it in eggs
before beating and add it to dressings. I recently posted this
recipe for a tahini dressing/sauce that includes tumeric.
Now that Spring is here, if
you’re planning to grow a garden, consider planting herbs like parsley, oregano,
and garlic, as well as rosemary, thyme, and chives. They require very little care and are simple, whole foods
that will help raise your diet’s nutritional density to the next level in a
flavorful way.
Image courtesy of Master isolated image
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