John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Museum Herbs Natures Nurtures The Power of the Earth
Lavender Lavender has a scent that s a wonderful blend of fresh, floral, clean, and calm. It s this dynamic aroma that has made the flower a classic for perfumes, soaps, fresheners, and beauty products. Culinary lavender is usually English lavender, the most commonly used species in cooking. As an aromatic, it has a sweet fragrance with a taste of lemon or citrus notes. It is used as a spice or condiment in pastas, salads and dressings, and desserts. Their buds and greens are used in teas, and their buds, processed by bees, are the essential ingredient of honey.
Peppermint Fresh or dried peppermint leaves are often used alone in peppermint tea or with other herbs in herbal teas(tisanes, infusions). Peppermint is used for flavoring ice cream, candy, fruit preserves, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste, and some shampoos, soaps and skin care products. Clinical evidence suggests that peppermint oil likely can help with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. It may also help indigestion and prevent spasms in the GI tract caused by endoscopy or barium enema. Some studies show that used topically it may help sooth tension headaches and cracked nipples from breastfeeding but more research is needed to confirm these studies.
Rosemary Rosemary is an herb. Oil is extracted from the leaf and used to make medicine. Rosemary is used for digestion problems, including heartburn, intestinal gas and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite. It is also used for gout, cough, headache, high blood pressure, and reducing age-related memory loss. Some women have used rosemary for increasing menstrual flow and causing abortions. Rosemary is used topically for preventing and treating baldness; and treating circulation problems, toothaches, eczema, and joint or muscle pain. It is also used for wound healing, in bath therapy, and as an insect repellent. In foods, rosemary is used as a spice. The leaf and oil are used in foods, and the oil is used in beverages. In manufacturing, rosemary oil is used as a fragrant component in soaps and perfumes.
Thyme In terms of its culinary use, the stems and the leaves are used in various dishes, either in whole or dried form. It is usually added to soups, sauces, meat dishes, and is used as a flavorful garnish. The leaves can be removed from the stems and ground into a fine spice, or the entire spring can be added to flavor a larger dish or stew. They can also be brewed into a tea and a decoction can be made with carrier oils or creams to apply topically to the body. The interesting health benefits of thyme include its ability to relieve stress, reduce respiratory issues, improve heart health, boost the strength of the immune system, protect against chronic diseases, stimulate blood flow, and prevent fungal infections. Some of the key benefits of thyme tea include relieving menstrual cramps, soothing indigestion, promoting cognitive strength, aiding sleep, preventing infections, boosting the immune system, protecting against chronic disease and healing respiratory conditions.
Basil If a kitchen has only a few herbs in its possession, basil will likely be one of them. Although more than 60 varieties of basil have been identified, they all fall into three main types: sweet, purple, and bush. Each offers a subtle difference in taste; varieties such as lemon, anise, and cinnamon basil give you an idea of how one might modify and enhance a recipe. It only takes a few leaves to transform a simple dish - even a sandwich. Basil also is considered one of the healthiest herbs. It's best when fresh, exuding a sweet, earthy aroma that indicates not only the promise of pleasantly pungent flavor, but an impressive list of nutrients. Vitamin K, essential for blood clotting, is one of them. Just two tablespoons of basil provides 29 percent of the daily recommended value. Basil also provides vitamin A, which contains beta-carotenes, powerful antioxidants that protect the cells lining a number of numerous body structures, including the blood vessels, from free radical damage. This helps prevent cholesterol in blood from oxidizing, helping to prevent atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and stroke.
Eucalyptus The health benefits of eucalyptus oil are well-known and wide-ranging, and its properties include being an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, antiseptic, antibacterial, and stimulating, in addition to other medicinal qualities. Eucalyptus essential oil is colorless and has a distinctive taste and odor.
Rose Hips The health benefits of rose hips include their ability to reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, relieve various respiratory conditions, prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, increase urination, regulate your digestive system, boost the immune system, increase circulation and help in building stronger bones.
Parsley The most powerful health benefits of parsley include controlling cancer, managing diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, along with helping prevent osteoporosis. Furthermore, it acts as a pain reliever with antiinflammatory properties. It also provides relief from gastrointestinal issues such as indigestion, stomach cramps, bloating, and nausea, while helping strengthen the immune system. Parsley can be found throughout the year on the market. It is also a highly nutritious plant and has ample vitamins and antioxidants, which can greatly improve our health.