The Power of Herbs - Basil

Basil is the herb I most associate with summer and Italian cooking, maybe because it pairs so well with fresh-picked garden tomatoes. In fact, it is often a companion plant of tomatoes and I’ve found it grows like a weed. It does wilt and lose its flavor quickly, though, so it should be used soon after harvesting.

In continuing with the theme of this week, basil is another antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. It produces several volatile oils that inhibit the growth of bacteria including E. Coli, Pseudomonas, and Listeria. This site lists some interesting medicinal uses for basil.

In addition, the flavonoids in basil protect cells from oxidative damage and beta-carotene (vitamin A) and magnesium help to keep the epithelial lining of our blood vessels healthy and relaxed.

Like most of the herbs posted here this week, basil has a strong nutritional profile. Two teaspoons of dried basil provide the following:

% Daily Value

Vitamin K 60

Iron 7

Calcium 6

Vitamin A 6

Manganese 4

Magnesium 3

Vitamin C 3

Potassium 3

Fiber 5

Some classic ways to use basil include:

• As a main ingredient in pesto

• Layered with sliced summer tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, then drizzled with olive oil

• In tomato sauces or ratatouille

If you’ve got additional good uses for basil, share them here!!

The Power of Herbs - Garlic

I’m guessing that there are not too many people out there that haven’t heard about the benefits of garlic. I think many of us have a love/hate relationship with garlic. We know it’s good for us, but the trail it leaves behind is not so good. I’m talking about the garlic breath and the garlicky smelling sweat from the next day’s workout.

But there is no denying that garlic should be included in our diets. I remember a classic experiment we did as an undergrad in Microbiology class. We began with a Petri dish of solid growth medium that had a lawn of bacteria growing on it. We added a small piece of raw garlic to the middle of the dish, covered it, and let it incubate overnight. The next morning, there was a dead zone surrounding the piece of garlic where the bacteria had died and were unable to re-grow.

The main active compounds in garlic are sulfur-containing and include allicin. Besides acting as an antibacterial, garlic also exhibits antiviral and antifungal properties and can be used to fight and prevent a cold. It is strongly anti-inflammatory and 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. Its vasodilative effect also relaxes the blood vessels, which helps to lower blood pressure.

Garlic also has anti-cancer properties. Diallyl sulfide (DAS), a sulfur-containing compound in garlic has been shown to inhibit the conversion of heterocyclic amines that are produced by cooking meat at high heat, into carcinogens in the liver.

To get the most benefits out of garlic, it should be crushed or chopped and allowed to sit for 5-10 minutes for the conversion of alliin to alllicin. Although some may not be able to take the heat of raw garlic, but it is best to eat it as close to raw as possible. Still, there is nothing better than the aroma of sautéed garlic or garlic roasting in the oven. To retain its health benefits, add it into dishes at the end of cooking.

Just 3 cloves of fresh garlic have the following micronutrient profile with trace amounts of additional vitamins and minerals:

% Daily Value

Vitamin C 5

Vitamin B6 6

Manganese 8

Calcium 2

Selenium 2

Here are some ways to add garlic to the diet:

• Add it into hummus or pesto
• Use it minced in dressings
• Include it in sauces and soups
• Mix it into a marinade
• Chop off the top and roast it in the oven, then spread the soft cloves on bread : )
• Make garlic-flavored oil by soaking the cloves (this should not be stored at room temperature)
• Use the tender shoots, or scapes in dressings, soups, stir-frys, or on salads

Can you think of more??

The Power of Herbs - Thyme

Moving on to day three of herbs, there continues to be a common theme among them and that is their amazing healing and medicinal properties. Like oregano and parsley, thyme is more than just a flavoring agent.

It has antibacterial and antifungal properties and has a long history of use for sore throats and chest congestion because of the antiseptic properties of its volatile oil thymol. It has been inhaled in steam or steeped and used for gargling.

Thyme also contains antioxidants that help to protect our cells and it has a strong nutritional profile. Two teaspoons of dried thyme provide the following:

% daily value

• Vitamin K 42
• Iron 14
• Manganese 8
• Calcium 4

It also has small amounts of vitamins A, C, folate, and magnesium. As with other herbs, we can actually pump up the nutrient density of our meals by adding fresh (and sometimes intense) flavor! I love this concept because normally we think of something medicinal or healing as not tasting nice and it’s as if nature has made it a point of drawing us to the things that will do us the most good.

Thyme has always been one of my favorite herbs to use in dried form and I frequently combine it with oregano and basil in tomato-based sauces.

Like other fresh herbs:

• it’s wonderful in egg dishes
• on meats and fish
• in soups and stews
• and chopped fine in dressings

If you like clam chowder, my brother also has a wonderful recipe that calls for fresh thyme. It’s one of the few clam chowders I’ve ever made or liked, for that matter.

Have you ever grown thyme or bought it fresh? What types of dishes do you use it for?

The Power of Herbs - Oregano

The idea of oregano probably brings up images or thoughts of the dried herb flavoring spaghetti sauce and other Italian dishes and we probably don’t think about it as a source of healing powers. But oregano offers a wide variety of disease-fighting properties. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and an antimicrobial/antibacterial agent.

Its volatile oils thymol and carvacrol are potent inhibitors of bacteria and thymol and rosmarinic acid, also found in oregano, act as strong antioxidants that help to prevent damage done by free radicals. In fact, oregano’s antioxidant capacity is even stronger than blueberries! Yet, how many of us think about ways to include oregano into our daily diets?

Although oregano is best eaten fresh for better flavor, just two teaspoons of dried oregano provides the following micronutrient profile:

% daily value

Vitamin K 23

Manganese 8

Iron 7

Dietary fiber 5

Omega-3 FA’s 5

Calcium 4

Vitamin A 4

Vitamin C 3

Although I’m not one to pick apart foods for their nutritional value and would rather look at them in terms of their overall nutrition, I list the above nutrients to demonstrate how powerful oregano is as a source of valuable vitamins, minerals, and even fats. Can you see the value of including herbs in meals on a regular basis? Oregano enhances our health while adding flavor and aroma at the same time. There isn’t a multivitamin out there that can do that.

To take advantage of oregano’s powers, experiment with it by adding it to any dish you would normally add herbs:

- combine it with other fresh herbs in egg dishes,

- add it to sauces and soups,

- mix it into vegetables,

- use it in marinades and dressings

Can you think of another use for oregano, either fresh or dried? I’d love to hear your favorite dishes that include oregano!!