Herbs, fresh or dried, are an excellent addition to your home cooked dishes. They are great for seasoning and often help to bring out the flavors of other ingredients in your dish. If you are trying to limit your sodium intake, herbs can help increase the flavor without all the added salt. Not only do herbs bring more complexity to your meal, but they also increase the nutritional value! Check out the health benefits of some of our favorite herbs to cook with:
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne is a potent stimulant for the whole body and is especially useful for aiding digestion, normalizing circulation, toning the nervous system and relieving pain and inflammation. It contains a great deal of Vitamin C and beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body and is important to eyesight. Cayenne also contains essential oils which are responsible for stimulating the skin, as well as for the spice's appetizing colour and aroma. Therapeutically, use uncooked cayenne, either fresh or dried, because it is less irritating than cooked cayenne pepper. It is often blended with other herbs to enhance their medicinal actions. Click here to get one of my favourite chili recipes.
Parsley
This herb is a diuretic that purifies the blood and accelerates the excretion of toxins. It stimulates appetite and aids digestion and metabolism. It can also relieve bloating, stomach cramps and nausea, as well as relive arthritis symptoms. When eaten regularly, it reduces heart rate and lowers blood pressure. If you want to keep your breath fresh, chew on fresh parsley leaves, and for the treatment of kidney stones, brew up some parsley tea. You can also throw in a handful of parsley into your favourite green juice recipe.
Basil
Thanks to its anti-spasmodic properties, basil is used for treating flatulence and stomach upset. It also helps ease tension and induce sleep. Its pungent taste triggers the production of saliva, enabling the body to digest food more effectively. It further aids digestion by increasing appetite and the flow of bile. Basil can also stimulate the cilia in the nose, helping to clear the nasal passages of mucus and disease-causing bacteria.
Basil wine is a digestive aid. to prepare, follow this simple recipe:
- Steep a small bunch of fresh basil in a bottle of white wine for 24 hours.
- Then strain the wine and refrigerate.
- Drink a 4-oz. (approx. 120 ml) glass after meals.
Ginger
Ginger helps stimulate the heart and circulatory system and has an antibacterial effect. In addition, it promotes appetite and digestion because its spicy components actually activate the flow of saliva and the production of digestive juices. Finally, ginger is well known for its ability to reduce inflammation, promote respiration and help treat colds and coughs. These amazing ginger recipes are a delight anytime!
Oregano
This herb is commonly used both fresh and dry in Italian sauces. It’s rich in antioxidants and has a surprisingly strong antibacterial property. In fact, oregano has been proven to treat the digestive disease giardia better than prescription medications. If you are making pasta for dinner, give this awesome Five Herb Pesto a try for a healthy dose of oregano, or sprinkle dry oregano into tomato sauce as it cooks!
If you’re trying to decide if you should use fresh versus dry herbs, it’s a good idea to use the same rule of thumb that you may use when buying other produce. Buy what is in season in your area. Like most produce, herbs are available year round, but they can be expensive. When the herb you need isn’t in season, it’s OK to buy it dried instead!
Dried herbs are general better in sauces and dishes that bake or simmer for a long time because the flavor gets stronger as it cooks. Fresh herbs are great chopped up and added to a dish at the end, or even sprinkled on top of a salad.
What herb do you plan to use in your next dish?
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