Tarragon

Tarragon is a relative to the Sunflower family and there are two different breeds of Tarragon, Russian and French. However, when you go shopping and pick up some Tarragon for your pantry or a favorite recipe it is almost guaranteed that you have just selected the dried leaves of the Tarragon plant because that is what is most often used and sold for commercial purposes.

Tarragon has a somewhat bittersweet flavor to it, almost resembling anise with that hint of licorice flavor to it. Tarragon does not have a long history behind it like most of the other herbs as it was not brought into the Unites States until the 19th century. It does have some mention about being used in England much before that time though. Traditionally, Tarragon is used to flavor such things as vinegar, relishes, pickles, mustard, and other various sauces.

The word Tarragon is derived from the French word which means "little dragon." There are two beliefs about how this nickname came about; one is because back in early times it was thought that Tarragon had the ability to cure venomous snake bites. Other thought it got this name because of the distinct roots that the Tarragon plant has that quite clearly resemble that of a serpent.

However, sometime as early as the 13th century Tarragon became widely used for seasoning vegetables, inducing sleep, and as a breath freshener. Not until the 16th century did Tarragon become more widely known. The Tarragon that is sold in the US today is not true Tarragon but rather Russian Tarragon which is not nearly the same. True Tarragon will be called French Tarragon and if you want to be sure that is what you are getting it is best to grow your own.

It is not recommended to use dried Tarragon because all of the active oils have been dried out. It is best to use fresh Tarragon which needs to be used rather sparingly because of its pungent taste. If you have grown the Tarragon yourself and have harvested it then put it in a Ziploc bag and stick it in the freezer. When it is time to use it there is no need to defrost it but remember that heat intensifies the flavor of Tarragon. If you have ever had Béarnaise Sauce, you should have recognized that Tarragon is the main ingredient in it.

Tarragon is used when preparing many sauces. In a pinch it has been said that a substitute could be chervil, a dash of fennel seed, or anise but the flavor will not be the same.

Many have claimed that Tarragon works well to induce appetite and the root of Tarragon was once used to cure toothaches. It is linked to medicinal uses for digestive aid and also for the prevention of heart disease. It can be used to induce menstruation and can be used as a sale substitute for people with high blood pressure. Further medicinal purposes include use for hyperactivity depression, and as an anti bacterial aid for cuts and abrasions.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a relative to the mint family and the name is derived from its Latin origin to mean "dew of the sea." Rosemary is very common in Mediterranean cuisine and has somewhat of a bitter astringent taste to it. While that is true it compliments oily foods very nicely. A tisane can be made from the Rosemary leaves and that is also very popular when cooking.

First it is burned and then added to a BBQ to flavor various foods. Sage, unlike many other herbs has a high nutritional value to it and is rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin B-6 and is more nutritional in its dried form rather than fresh. Rosemary should be harvested just as you are going to use it because it truly loses its flavor once dried. Gardner's swear that if you plant some Rosemary plants in and around your garden, the Rosemary will fend off moths, beetles, and carrot flies.

Older Europeans loved Rosemary and believed that it improved memory and also used it as a symbol of remembrance and was often tossed into fresh graves before they were buried over. Traditionally it has been said that Rosemary, left untrimmed, would grow for thirty three years where it will reach the height of Christ when he was crucified. Many would also place sprigs of Rosemary underneath their pillows to ward of evil and nightmares. Often the wood that comes from the stems of the Rosemary plant was used to make musical instruments. Remember that people back then liked to utilize every piece of something as not to waste. Today, many wreaths are made from Rosemary as a symbol of remembrance.

Today, Rosemary is still used for many things besides cooking as it is in potpourris, air fresheners, shampoos, and cosmetics. There has also been scientific evidence that Rosemary works very well as a memory stimulant. Rosemary has also shown some cancer prevention properties in animals. But further Rosemary has shown a strong relationship in relaxing muscles, and to soothe stomach upset as well as menstrual cramps. The main thing to remember when using Rosemary for this purpose is that if you use too much it can actually cause a counter effect.

When made into a tea it is ingested for calming nerves and anxiety and as an antiseptic. Rosemary when used as a tea many people find to taste very good. Making the tea from Rosemary is quite simple actually, just pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for 10-15 minutes. A little sugar can be added by you should not add any cream. A few sprigs can be added to oils and vinegars to flavor the products which add a nice taste for cooking.

When used cosmetically it can lighten and tone human hair and when mixed with equal parts of shampoo it has been known to strengthen hair too. It also makes for a nice additive in hot bath water. Rosemary is still used quite commonly today however more so for cooking than anything else.

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Turmeric

Image via WikipediaTurmeric is a spice that gives flavor and yellow color to the curry powder and mustard. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family and is used for healing for quite some time already. The healing properties can be found in the plant’s fingerlike stalk. The stalk is scalded and dried fro herbal medicine. This same part is used to flavor, color and preserve foods.

In India and in other parts of China, turmeric has been used to treat indigestion and several other ailments for centuries. It was mainly used as a spice in other parts of the world until 1970s. It was then that researchers discovered that it contains curcuminoids which are compounds that fight inflammation. It was also found that turmeric is rich in antioxidants. It also shows potentials in reducing cholesterol levels and combating artherosclerosis which builds up fatty deposits in the arteries and can lead to heart attack. Preliminary studies indicate that turmeric could possibly block the progress of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The specific health benefits one can derived from turmeric include:

Ø It relieves carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis and joint inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory compounds.
Ø It eases indigestion, excess gas (flatulence), bloating and other mild upset stomach symptoms. This is because the curcumin in tumeric combats bacteria that are responsible for infectious diarrhea.
Ø It prevents cancer. Being an antidoxidant, turmeric prevents damage to cells in turn preventing some types of cancer such as breast, skin, colon and lymphoma.

Turmeric comes in different formulations of tincture, tablet, powder, ointment, lotion, liquid, dried herb/tea, cream and capsule. Formulations that can be taken internally are capsules, fresh juice, boiled tea made from powder and tinctures. Topical formulations are creams, lotions, pastes and ointments. Look for turmeric that contains 95% curcumin since this is effective in treating specific ailment. In order to get the medicinal dose of 1.2 g/day of curcumin, you need to consume 100 grams of turmeric as culinary spice.

To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, indigestion, excess gas and other inflammatory and GI-related ailments, take 400 to 600 mg capsule three times a day. Or, you can take ½ to 1 teaspoon of liquid extract and mixed it with ½ cup of water three times a day. Continue this treatment until symptoms are gone. If you noticed no improvement after a week of use, then discontinue turmeric. To prevent cancer, use turmeric as a spice daily or sip turmeric tea. As of the moment, there are no solid evidences to support the claim that it can prevent cancer.

Once symptoms of inflammation improve, reduce the daily dose of turmeric into half. And if symptoms are gone, stop using the herb. Turmeric is not well absorbed when taken orally so look for extracts that combine it with bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme found in pineapples. Bromelain will make it easier for the body to absorb active compounds of turmeric.



Turmeric due to its curcumin content could interfere with the proper functioning of breast cancer chemotherapy medicine. Ask your doctor if you are taking chemotherapy drugs such as mechlorethamine, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. If you have bile duct blockage or blood clotting disorder, do not take turmeric as this could affect these conditions. If you have gallstones or gallbladder problems, do not use turmeric as this could have harmful effects. Prolonged use of turmeric can cause stomach upset and other gastrointestinal upsets.

Basil

Image via WikipediaOriginally, Basil was not the most popular herb in the bunch. Actually there were some who simply hated it, mainly the ancient people. The name basil means "be fragrant" but still various cultures battled with a love hate relationship over basil. Americans and Romans loved it while Hindus plant it in their homes as a sign of happiness. On the contrary it was the Greeks who despised it most but those from India and Persia were not too fond of it either. One place that took a special liking to Basil was Italy and to this day not many people prepare a classic pasta sauce without the Basil.



To this day basil and tomato sauce have formed somewhat of a marriage almost globally. Basil is very easy to grow as long as the temperature does not fall below 50 degrees and is in full sunshine. It is popularly used both in the fresh form as well as the dried. A rare known fact about Basil is that the longer it simmers in a dish the more the flavor intensifies. This makes sense as to why people simmer their pasta sauces for so long, to bring out all of the rich herb flavors. Normally in pasta sauces Basil is used in combination with Oregano. However, Basil is not just used for pasta or tomato sauce, it is also used for flavoring fish, vegetables, meats, and soups.

If you decide to grow an herb garden, you can thank the Basil plants for keeping the flies away as flies are also part of the group that does not care for Basil. Another interesting fact about Basil is that it was considered a royal herb with a strong association pertaining to love. Basil had a relationship with how men of a much earlier time planned on proposing to their fair maidens. The man would bring a branch of Basil and if the woman accepted his gift she silently agreed to love him and be faithful to him for eternity.

Basil is related to the Mint family and just knowing that should give you a good idea that it will have many medicinal uses as well. Right away most people associate anything mint with aiding the digestive system and also for its anti gas properties. Herbalists use Basil quite commonly for health ailments such as stomach cramps, vomiting, constipation, headaches and anxiety. When Basil is used for these purposes it is generally made into a hot tea for drinking. Some also claim that a nice hot cup of Basil tea can contribute greatly to a good nights sleep. At herbal stores you can also purchase Basil capsules as well if you do not care for the taste of the tea.

Basil is still one of the most common household herbs used today and in most areas of culinary art it is a necessity there too. When used in its freshest form, Basil is torn from the plant and then just minced up with a knife. Usually somewhere nearby the Basil you will find some olive oil, garlic, and someone getting ready to prepare a fantastic tomato sauce.