Considering Culinary Herbs

Before the advent of refrigeration, herbs with antibacterial properties, including garlic, oregano, and thyme, were enlisted to help preserve foods that had to be stored for use during times of scarcity, such as in midwinter when fresh  foods were hard to come by. These and other herbs and spices with strong  lavors and aromas were also used to mask the tastes and smells of foods that were beginning to go rancid, making them more palatable.Now that we can control the temperature in our refrigerator with the turn of a dial, most of us enjoy herbs for the way they enhance the flavor and coloring of food and drink. Most recipes contain one or more ingredients purely for aesthetics — better taste, more attractive presentation. What would pickles be without dill, or pesto without basil?Purists use the word herbto refer to plants grown for their leaves and stems; spicesare those cultivated for their flowers, seeds, bark, wood, resin, and roots. You also may come across the word potherb.That’s an old term that refers to vegetables and herbs used in salads, soups, and stews. For our purposes, spicesare culinary herbs.

6 Herbs That Add Flavor and Nutrition

By: Clint Carter

Carefully chosen fresh herbs improve the flavor of dishes and add nutritional zing. Here's what to add to your next meal for a dose of delicious disease-fighting power.

Thyme

If you're in a pinch for fresh thyme, use the ground variety. Just 1 teaspoon contains more than 20 percent of your daily iron needs.
Try this: Thyme is the ultimate utility player, pairing well with roasted meat and vegetables, tomato sauce, and scrambled eggs.

Rosemary

Japanese researchers say carnosic acid, found in rosemary, may help protect against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Try this: Mix minced rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil to use as a marinade for meat or vegetables.

Cilantro

Studies suggest that coriander seeds (the fruit of the cilantro plant) could lead to treatments for diabetes and promote cardiovascular health.
Try this: Chop up tomatoes, an onion, and a jalapeno, and mix with a heap of cilantro for a versatile fresh salsa.

Tarragon

Research suggests that tarragon extract may help in treating diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity, and possibly kill ulcer-causing bacteria.
Try this: Grill up an assortment of vegetables—onions, peppers, squash, asparagus—and sprinkle them with fresh goat cheese, tarragon, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Sage

Like rosemary, sage was thought to strengthen memory. The rosmarinic acid in this plant may promote liver health by protecting cells from oxidative damage.
Try this: For a quick pasta sauce, melt a pat of butter in a pan until it turns light brown, then add a handful of whole sage leaves. Toss with cheese or pumpkin ravioli.

Oregano

Gram for gram, it has twice the cancer-fighting antioxidant activity of blueberries.
Try this: Add equal parts fresh parsley and oregano to a blender and slowly drizzle in olive oil or canola oil as it spins. Strain and use the infused oil to top grilled fish or chicken or as a dip for toasted bread.

Source: http://www.menshealth.com

Aloe vera: A Healing Plant

Aloe is a member of the lily family, and one that hails from dry parts of the world. The plant stores the limited rain water it gets in its succulent leaves, in the form of a gel. Long ago humans figured out that the jelly like contents of the aloe leaf could be used to heal the skin, and heal it really fast. Whether from abrasion or sun, aloe gel applied regularly acted as a healing balm. This was true in the biblical day and its true today.

One word of warning. A lot of manufacturers of skin care products prominently display “ALOE” on their products but fail to make it a prominent ingrediant. Before buying a product alleging to contain aloe, check the ingrediants and see how far down the list aloe is found. If its not in the first three ingrediants, skip the product. Its an aloe product in name only. There isnt enough aloe in the product to make a difference.

Herbalists recommend applying aloe gel three times a day to the affected part. The gel needs to be allowed to dry on the skin and be left to on the skin to continue its healing magic. Don’t wipe it off!

Remember This: Skin Healer

Reasonable Uses: sunburn, kitchen burns, minor wounds, slow healing wounds, eczema, psoriasis, acne, acne rosacea, lupus, poor complexion.

History and Traditional Uses
The spiky, spiny aloe plant was used by ancient Egyptian medics to keep the skin of the living healthy and by Egyptian morticians to make the skin of the dead last forever! You can see mummies in museums around the world so you know the Egyptians knew what they were doing. Throughout its native Africa, aloe was the treatment of choice for all sorts of wounds including those from poisoned arrows. Today, aloe is one of the most widely used herbs for skin problems found in a dizzying array of cosmetics and hair-care and first-aid products.

Scientific Back Up
Aloe gel reduces skin inflammation and speeds skin healing. The transparent gel that oozes out of a broken aloe leaf is an effective first-aid treatment for skin irritations, cuts, and minor burns. Studies show that it enhances wound healing and promotes cell growth and wound closer. Other studies point to aloe’s potential as a treatment for psoriasis, eczema, and skin ulcers. Some researchers feel that it can actually undo the damage the sun does to the skin. Researchers in the know say, when the skin needs healing, apply for aloe.

Herbalists use it to…..

conquer chronic skin disease
Chronic skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, acne, and acne rosacea all involve inflammation. Aloe, with its well established anti-inflammatory activity, can take the red out of an outbreak. When used regularly, herbalists say it can keep outbreaks from occurring.
soothe kitchen burns
Herbalists top recommendation for burns? Plain, raw Aloe vera gel or something as close to that as possible. Its powerful anti-inflammatory activity takes the pain causing inflammation out of a burn and speeds the healing process along nicely. Herbalists say scaring is reduced when aloe is used throughout the entire healing process.

wind up wound healing
As long as the skin is broken, the body is open to bacterial invasion. In an age when antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are causing nasty infections, speedy wound closure is important! Herbalists feel that aloe speeds the bodies sealing up process!

heal skin ulcers
Skin ulcers, especially on the lower limbs, can be hard to heal. Aloe has been shown to increase the production of the cells responsible for bridging the gap in an ulcer. Herbalists recommend the application of aloe gel in hard to heal ulcers.

undo sun damage
There is an undeclared epidemic of skin cancer raging at the moment. The sun, formerly a source of health, is now a source of misery. Herbalists feel there is strong evidence that aloe can undo the damage the sun does to the skin. Whenever possible avoid the sun. But, when exposed to the sun, use Aloe to repair sun damage.

Dosage and Duration
Herbalists recommend applying aloe gel three times a day to the affected part. The gel needs to be allowed to dry on the skin and be left to on the skin to continue its healing magic. Don’t wipe it off!

Shopping Tips
If you have a plant growing on the window sill, you can skip the shopping! Cut off a lower leaf and remove any spines, then split the leaf in half and scrape the gel that oozes out directly onto the affected part. If you do not have a plant to hand, the next best thing is pure aloe gel available from the health food shop

Only buy pure aloe gel. Most commercial “aloe” products(creams, moisturizers, shampoos, etc.) do not contain enough aloe to make them medicinally active. Stick to a jar of pure aloe gel. Avoid products that contain other herbs. Avoid products that are bright green; aloe gel is not green!

Warnings
If the skin being treated becomes red, tender, swollen, and hot, see your health care practitioner.

Do not apply aloe gel to surgical wounds until they are entirely healed, it could delay healing.

Skins ulcers can be cancerous. Any wound that stays open for more than a month should be checked by a dermatologist.

Alternatives
Calendula, Chamomile, Marshmallow

Creating Herbal Body Care Products: Beauty or Bust?

From rosemary shampoo to calendula salve, herbal body care products command top dollar. A close look at the ingredients (which are listed in order of the relative amounts of each ingredient, from most to least) often reveals just how little of the touted herb is actually in the product. For example, to make shampoos sound like they contain lots of herbs, some labels start their ingredient list with “an aqueous solution of herbs,” which sounds fancier than the translation: “Water with Some Herbs in It” Because water is a main ingredient in shampoo anyway, this is a clever way to make it sound like the shampoo contains a high concentration of herbs when, in reality, it gives no indication of the actual amount of herbs.

That’s not to say that herbs can’t play a role in body care products, but rather that the premium price you’re paying may be going toward marketing or fancy labels rather than expensive ingredients. In many cases, you can grow your own herbs and make your own products for a fraction of the cost, using the ingredients that you want and leaving out those that you don’t. The art of making your own herbal body care products and includes recipes for hair care, skin care, and fragrances will discuss in later article.

Don’t forget to comment, your comments will initiate a series of Herbal related article. Let’s starts “Herbal Gardening Guide” article series

Better Living Through Chemistry

Gardeners love kindred souls, and if you decide to grow herbs, you’ll be in the company of plenty of kindred souls, both in the present and from times past.

Even before recorded history, herbs were the sources of countless culinary, medicinal, and craft materials. Historically, growing herbs wasn’t a hobby; it was necessary for survival. Then, during the last half century or so, chemists began developing synthetic forms of aromas, flavors, medicines, and dyes that formerly had been extracted from herbs. (Notice how often artificial fla-vors and colors appear in the ingredients lists on packaged foods.) Because it was cheaper to make these imitations in a lab than it was to grow and extract the real thing, herb gardening fell out of favor to some degree. Now that the “Better Living Through Chemistry” heyday is over, there’s renewed interest in getting back to natural sources of the stuff we ingest and otherwise use in our daily lives. And herb gardening is experiencing a renaissance. This chapter is a potpourri of herb information — our effort to introduce you to the subject, including some of its historical and entertaining aspects, and to inspire you to join the legions of herb gardeners, past, present, and future.

8 Medicinal Plants You Can Grow at Home

Grow a Healing Garden

Physic (or physick) was the name given to gardens of healing plants grown by physicians and monks in ancient times and by home gardeners well into the nineteenth century. Why not plant your own with some of these herbs? By investing a little sweat and the cost of seeds, you'll have the makings of infusions, teas, and balms. Just choose a sunny spot with rich soil for your garden. Perennial plants will grow from season to season, while annuals must be reseeded or transplanted.

1. Basil

Annual: Harvest the young leaves of what's called "the king of herbs" as needed.
Uses: Flatulence, lack of appetite, cuts, and scrapes

2. Chamomile

Annual: Use the flower heads for infusions and salves.
Uses: Indigestion, anxiety, skin inflammations.

3. Feverfew

Perennial: Use leaves and flowers for teas; chew leaves to ease headache pain.
Uses: Headaches (including migraines), arthritis, skin conditions.

4. Lemon Balm

Perennial: A relative of mint, lemon balm is a versatile medicinal herb.
Uses: Anxiety, insomnia, wounds, herpes, insect bites, flatulence, upset stomach.

5. Parsley

Biennial: Like its curly cousin P. crispum, this herb is loaded with nutrients.
Uses: Flatulence, bad breath.

6. Sage

Perennial: Sage's genus name, Salvia, means "to heal," reflecting its early use as a medicinal, not culinary, herb.
Uses: Mouth and throat inflammations.

7. St. John's Wort

Perennial: The glossy leaves and yellow flowers are this herb's active parts.
Uses: Mild to moderate depression. (Talk to your doctor first.)

8. Thyme

Perennial: The active principle in thyme, thymol, is a strong antiseptic.
Uses: Coughs, congestion, indigestion, gas.

Source of Article:
 

Healthy herbs nutrition facts

Healthy herbs have long held an important place in our wellness. Prized since ancient times, and today we even more depend on them to purify our body, mind, and soul!

Of course, we all use herbal parts in our daily lives, one way or the other, whether for their fragrance, for their healing power, or in lovely recipes.
Herbal benefits are many; be it for spiritual reasons or to spice up your taste buds, or as a home remedy for your sore throat... herbs are handy for every need! Although, the herbs been in use in our diet since antiquity, only recently have taken the center-stage of nutrition scientific world for their potential health benefiting and detoxification properties.



Why herbs in our diet...? Health benefits of herbs

• Herbs contain unique anti-oxidants, essential oils, vitamins, phyto-sterols and many other plants derived nutrient substances, which help equip our body to fight against germs, toxins and to boost immunity level. Herbs are, in fact, medicines in smaller dosages.

• Essential oils in herbs have been found to have anti-inflammatory function by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase(COX), which mediates inflammatory cascade reactions in the body. The enzyme-inhibiting effect of essential oils in herbs makes it an important remedy for symptomatic relief in individuals with inflammatory health problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis.
• Many unique compounds in the herbs have been found to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics.
• Controlled-epidemiological studies have shown that certain compounds in garlic like those that thiosulfinates (allicin) can bring significant reduction in total cholesterol and in blood pressure and thereby helps prevent coronary artery disease and stroke risk.
• Curcumin, together with other antioxidants in the turmeric, has been found to have anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it is thought to be effective in preventing or at-least delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
• The volatile oils, vitamins, and antioxidants in the herbs have cytotoxicity action against prostate, pancreatic, colon, endometrial etc., cancer cells.
• The chemical compounds in the herbs have been found to be anti-spasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, analgesic, aphrodisiac, deodorant, digestive, antiseptic, lipolytic (fat and weight loss action), stimulant and stomachic actions when taken in appropriate dosage.

Here is the complete list of healthy herbs with their
health benefits, nutrition value, culinary and medicinal uses:

Basil herb	Borage	Burdock root
Celery	Chives	Cilantro (coriander)
Dandelion	Dill weed	Epazote
Garlic	Ginger	Lemongrass
Oregano	Parsley	Peppermint
Rosemary herb	Sage	Savory
Spearmint	Stevia	Sweet marjoram
Tarragon	Thyme herb	Turmeric

Culinary herbs

Herbs are a great addition to food, not just because, they add special flavor and spicy taste to our food, but also they contain many anti-microbial substances that help keep our food protected from these agents. Healthy herbs are used in small amounts while preparing recipes; actually, they provide flavor rather than substance to food.

Here are some serving tips:

• Fresh leaves are being used in the preparation of soups and herbal sauces.
• Chopped, fresh herb leaves can impart richness to vegetable as well as fruit salads.
• Along with other spicy items, selective healthy herbs are being used to enhance the flavor and taste of vegetable, chicken, fish and lean meat dishes.
• Some herbal leaves and plant parts are increasingly been used as popular flavor drinks.

Herbs for the winter windowsill

Now that the growing season is over, do you still find yourself ready to dash out to the garden for some chives, basil or a sprig of thyme, only to lament their loss to the cold weather? Why not start a small collection of culinary herbs indoors, where their flavor and fragrance will delight you through the upcoming winter months?

Growing herbs indoors is not difficult, as long as their few cultural requirements are met. The two most important factors for the successful growth of herbs indoors are light and moisture. The majority of popular culinary herbs require at least six hours of direct sun each day. A southerly-facing window is best, although a southwest or western exposure will do. Another alternative is to grow them under artificial light. A fluorescent fixture with one cool white bulb and one warm white bulb kept on for at least 12 hours a day will suffice. Specially-formulated, full-spectrum lights have come down in price and would actually be a better choice. Plants placed on window sills should be given a quarter turn daily, so they won’t lean to the light. If it gets really cold at night, move tender plants such as basil away from the windowsill.

Proper watering often makes the difference between life and death for herb plants. In general, the majority of herbs like to be kept on the dry side, but as many potential herb growers have found out the hard way, allowing the potting mixture to totally dry out will be the demise of their plants. Likewise, excessively wet soils promote root-rotting diseases. All pots should have drainage holes. Water when the soil about a half inch below the surface feels dry to the touch and continue watering until the excess water begins to run out the bottom drainage hole. Then let the pot drain thoroughly before putting it back on its saucer.

I have had excellent results growing herbs with a mix of a quarter each potting soil, clean, coarse sand, peat moss, and either vermiculite or perlite. I add about one tablespoon of ground limestone for each gallon of potting mix and one-quarter cup of Osmocote Plus Trace Elements, as I get lazy about fertilizing. If you prefer, plants can be fertilized once a month with a half-strength liquid fertilizer. Fish emulsion or liquid kelp works good for organic growers. Clay pots are favored, as they are more porous than plastic ones.

Basil, summer savory and parsley can be started from seed if you prefer. The first two herbs germinate quite readily, but parsley seeds are rather stubborn, requiring about three weeks before sprouting. Regular sweet basil tends to become a rather leggy houseplant. Instead, opt for the compact, globe-shaped bush basil. Unlike most herbs, basil wants a warm location.

Oregano is a member of the mint family and can even be grown in hanging baskets. It prefers to be kept at about 60 degrees F and growth will slow drastically if temperatures fall below 50 degrees F. Avoid overwatering oregano and note that it is prone to root rots.

Rosemary is an exceptional complement to meat dishes, potatoes and breads. Although it does prefer to be kept on the dry side, if the soil dries out completely – even for a short period of time – your plant will die. Both white and blue flowering varieties are available. Rosemary can also be trained as a standard or wreath.

More than 400 thyme varieties are recognized. The ones I found most suited to indoor culture are varieties of Thymus vulgaris. Lemon-scented and caraway thyme also make good houseplants.

Bay is a slow grower, preferring an almost neutral soil. Harvest the older leaves as needed and always be on the lookout for scale insects.

By Dawn Pettinelli - UConn Home & Garden Education CenterPerk up your menu by adding a few herb plants to your home. If you have questions about growing herbs or other gardening quandaries, call, toll-free, 877-486-6271, visit www.ladybug.uconn.edu, or contact your local Cooperative Extension Center