Herbal Foods

Valuable Information About Herbal Foods

 
When talking about herbal foods, maybe you get confused about what plants are considered as vegetables, and what plants are considered as herbs. The main difference is actually the fact herbs have much stronger aroma and flavor. That's why people use herbs in small quantities, to enrich their food's taste. The term herbs is usually used when talking about leafy parts, and the term spices is mainly used for other parts of these plants, for example seeds and berries.

Herbal foods should be included in everyone's diet. Some herbs are perennials, for example thyme, lavender, rosemary and laurel, while others are biennial, such as parsley, or annual, such as basil. In addition to providing excellent taste your food and reducing the amount of salt to be added, some of these plants have extraordinary healing properties.

Some herbs are just great in reducing inflammation, for example parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, Cloves, Oregano and Ginger. They really do have natural antibiotic properties you can benefit from. They also effect your health and vitality and slow down aging processes. They all should be regularly consumed, because the best things come from nature.

You have probably heard about Ginkgo. This amazing herb is used in medicine for improving brain functions. It also aids different metabolic reactions. Plain old Rosemary is really a miracle plant. It contains more than dozen different antioxidants, and these great compounds fight free radicals and keep you young longer. Sweet licorice stabilizes your blood sugar levels.

Basil is indispensable ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine. No dish containing tomatoes almost can not be imagined without the basil. You can use frozen, dried or fresh basil, and you can keep the leaves in a bottle of good, quality olive oil. In any case, fresh leaves are the best, so full of vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin C, A and B. Chop freshly picked leaves and add to your salads, to enrich their taste and improve your health.

Cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects, and fight bacteria, while one particular type called Cassia cinnamon may lower blood sugar level. Cinnamon powder can be sprinkled over your sweets, buns or fruit salads, used in your sweet and salty recipes and significantly improve the taste of your teas, juices and other drinks.

Garlic will regulate your blood pressure, grape seeds and Acai Berries are so full of antioxidants they can fight stress and aging processes and dried apricot kernels are a great source of vitamin B17, and this vitamin is considered to be a valuable weapon against cancer. Chili is great for your heart and circulatory problems. You can also find food supplements containing powerful mixtures of these herbs.

Various herbs are best when used fresh, and some are even better when dried, for example, oregano. Valuable oils in oregano leaves are even more efficient in dry leaves, and you should include this herb in your diet, by all means. Herbal foods are great for your skin, health and well-being in general. Include them in your regular diet, but make sure to use them wisely.