The Healing Herbal Kitchen
We sometimes forget that herbs and spices are foods and not just flavouring. But most herbs and spices are loaded with phytonutrients with different medicinal properties. Here is a chart on the medicinal benefits of some herbs and spices. This in no way replaces the advice of a naturopathic physician. Please consult with yourhealth care practitioner before taking therapeutic doses of any of these herbs. | Herbs & Spices | Culinary Use | Medicinal Use | | Basil | Pesto, tomatoes sauces, tomato salads | Antibacterial, antispasmodic, vitamins and minerals | | Bay Leaf | Soups, stock, casseroles, sauces | Antibacterial, antispasmodic, essential oil, tannins, bitter principles, herbicide (place by books and in corners to repel silverfish) | | Cardamom | Cakes, cookies, curries | Anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, essential oil, mucilage, improving circulation | | Cayenne | Chilis, sauces, soups, instead of black pepper | Anti-inflammatory, improving circulation | | Cinnamon | Hot drinks, baked items, cooked fruit | Anti-spasmodic, digestive aid, essential oil for aromatherapy | | Cloves | Ham or pork dishes, hot drinks, baked items, combines will with cinnamon and nutmeg | Topical analgesic, anti-viral, expectorant, essential oil, digestive aid | | Coriander | Leaves called cilantro-salads, garnish, chili, salsa. Seeds called coriander-pickling spice, curries, soups, meat dishes | Anti-spasmodic, tannins, vitamins, essential oil, digestive aid | | Cumin | Soups, sauces, curries, chili | | | Dill | Pickling spice, vinegars, soup, cheese dishes, fish | Anti-spasmodic, mucilage, tannins, essential oils, vitamins and minerals, aids digestion | | Fennel | Combined with other herbs or on its own as a rub for meat, herbal tea, breads, bulb can be used as vegetable in stir fries | Anti-spasmodic, diuretic, carminative, essential oil, vitamins and minerals, digestive aid. Chewed after the meal neutralizes stomach acid, sweetness the breath and helps digest fatty food. | | Garlic | Raw cloves baked and eaten or rubbed on bread for garlic bread, stir fries, salad dressings, sauces, soups, rubbed over meats. | Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial, vitamins and minerals, essential oil, immune boosting | | Ginger | Dried product-baked goods, stir fries, sauces. Fresh chopped root– stir fries, sauces, candied | Anti-spasmodic, vitamins and minerals, digestive aid, improving circulation, morning sickness | | Marjoram | Any meat or vegetarian dish, cheese balls, herb butters, combined with other herbs in mix for sauces. | Anti-spasmodic, sedative, digestive aid, vitamins and minerals, bitter principles, essential oil, tannins | | Nutmeg | Meat and vegetarian dishes, curries, eggnog, hot drinks, baked goods. | | | Oregano | Meat and vegetarian dishes, vegetables stir fries, soups, sauces-especially tomato based. | Anti-spasmodic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, sedative, astringent, expectorant, digestive aid, immune boosting, essential oil | | Paprika | Meat stews, cheese or egg dishes, salad dressing, pesto sauces. Good for adding colour to grain dishes. | | | Peppermint | Tea | Anti-spasmodic, analgesic, carminative, expectorant, essential oils, tannins, bitter principles | | Rosemary | Meat dishes, herb butters, combined with other herbs in salad dressings, potatoes | Anti-spasmodic, anti-bacterial, analgesic, digestive aid, circulation, essential oils, tannins, saponin | | Sage | Meat dishes, sauces, soups, cheese dishes, grains. | Anti-fungal, anti-spasmodic, antiseptic, diuretic, estrogenic compounds, bitter principles, essential oils, tannins, | | Savory | Fish and meat dishes, vegetarian stews and casseroles, vegetable stir fries, grains, herb breads. | Anti-spasmodic, carminative, astringent, digestive aid, expectorant, tannins, mucilage, essential oils | | Tarragon | Meat and fish dishes, omelets, herb butters, stir fries, grains, herb breads | Bitter principles, tannins, essential oils, liver tonic, cleansing, abortifacient | | Thyme | Pasta sauces, meat and vegetarian dishes, cheese dishes, herb breads | Antiseptic, anti-microbial, expectorant, uterine stimulant, tannins, bitter principles, essential oils, saponins |
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