Top 10 Most Useful Herbs for Good Health
Herbs are good for you. We’ve known this for centuries. Herbalists
and ancient apothecaries have been using herbs for hundreds of years to
cure illnesses. These days we rely more on pharmaceutical drugs to heal
us, and use herbs for flavoring our food. But really, give these healthy
herbs a try the next time you’re feeling unwell, and you might be
impressed by their healing powers.
What are herbs, though? Simply put, they are any plants where the
flowers, seeds or leaves are used for their flavor, medicinal value or
scent.
Here are ten of the best herbs to take daily. You could put them in
your food or take capsules filled with their concentrates. But don’t
ignore these useful herbs for good health. You could even grow some
quite easily in your kitchen garden!
Dandelion
We’re all familiar with these yellow flowers. The farmers in the northern hemisphere treat dandelions like weeds. The young leaves make delicious salads and sandwiches, or you can boil them like you would spinach.
But what makes dandelion one of the best
herbs to take daily is its excellent digestive properties. It’s a mild
diuretic. This makes it great for improving any issues in your
gastrointestinal tract. You could use any part of the herb and make a
dish, a tincture, infusion or honey to improve your gall bladder and
liver function. It’s also generally safe and easy to find.
Rosemary
In the 14th century, rosemary root was steeped in wine vinegar. This solution
was used to wash the feet of a thief to sap him of his strength and
tendencies to steal! Whether or not this actually worked – and whether
the thief would actually allow anyone to wash his feet – isn’t known.
What we know about rosemary today is that it’s great for indigestion,
killing some pathogens that come through food, and may prevent breast
cancer. These are excellent reasons to include this wonder-herb in your
diet. It’s one of the most useful herbs for good health, and it makes meat taste great!
Chives
In the past, people would hang bunches
of chives from the doorway to drive away evil. It’s not certain whether
it usually worked. But today, scientists think chives may be great at
lowering the risk of gastric cancer.
Chives make a delicious garlicky or onion-flavored garnish on your baked potatoes,
in pasta, salads and even in cooked recipes. It’s one of those
fantastic healthy herbs we should eat more of than we probably do!
Stinging Nettle
Stinging Nettle is not fun to touch. Its fine hairs can release a chemical
that can cause a very painful reaction. But it’s also a very useful
little herb. Cooking kills the sting, so the leaves are great for soup
or nettle tea. Steamed nettles are delicious topped with sesame seeds
and vinegar.
You can drink nettle tea everyday as a tonic, and you’ll find it is
good for treating joint pain. It’s a good diuretic, so it’s used to
treat urinary problems linked to urinary tract infections and an
enlarged prostate. It’s good for treating hay fever too.
Garlic
You probably shouldn’t eat garlic before a date. But it’s one of the best
herbs to take daily. (Did you think garlic wasn’t a herb?) Garlic has
mild anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in flavanoids. Flavanoids
help you boost your immune system. Studies suggest that garlic may protect you against heart attacks and strokes. It has the capacity to lower bad cholesterol. Now if only it didn’t leave such a strong scent in the mouth!
Cinnamon
Many of us love delicious, sweet cinnamon in our ice creams, apple pies
and cinnamon toast. But did you know that this ‘herb’ can help you
stabilize blood sugar? Some studies suggest that taking cinnamon daily –
up to about a teaspoon a day – may help people who have type 2 diabetes
control their blood sugar levels after meals. Maybe you could replace sugar with cinnamon in your desserts altogether for its anti-diabetic goodness.
Turmeric
Turmeric spice as you know it is derived from a herby root tuber that
looks like ginger. It is also one of the best herbs to take daily. The
Indians cook with it, and use the paste to help heal wounds. It is also
made into a tea for use against colds and problems in the respiratory
tract.
As for its benefits, there is some suggestion that the curcumin found
in turmeric is actually anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It can help
to relieve arthritic pain. It can
also keep the pain away after a dentist’s visit! It might be good
against Alzheimer’s, diabetes and maybe even some cancers!
Ginger
Ginger is one of the most useful herbs for good health. And you can see the results quickly too. Have an unsettled stomach? Chew a bit of ginger or drink some ginger tea. This herb is also great for dealing with nausea after chemotherapy or surgery. It’s also great for fighting inflammation, soothing sore muscles and reducing the pain caused by osteoarthritis. It’s one of the healthy herbs you can take daily – even capsules will do. If you exercise regularly, you’ll find daily ginger in your food actually reduces the aches from sore muscles!
Parsley
Parsley is another herb with many stories revolving around it. It
used to be called the Devil’s Herb, apparently because the seed went to
the Devil and returned nine times before it sprouted. If you grew it in
your cottage garden, people would be afraid of you! Parsley was often
linked with death, and used to decorate tombs.
Today we use it to flavor our soups, salads, meats, and it’s a
fantastic little herb. There is some research to suggest that parsley
may inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Experts suggest adding a pinch of the chopped leaves everyday to your meal everyday. It may also be good against hypertension.
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves add a delicious flavor to stews, especially in stews
prescribed for colds. This is because a compound called cineole present
in bayleaf is good for clearing up your sinus. (So, breathe in the stew
before you eat!). Bay leaves may also be good for treating arthritis,
preventing heart disease and boosting the immune system.
What do you think of our list of useful
herbs for good health? Do you think we’ve missed any healthy herbs that
should have been on this list? Let us know below!
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