Summer is the season to experiment with fragrant herbs
– whether you pick them from your garden or forage for them
in the supermarket.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with fresh herbs in large
amounts – some recipes can benefit from a decent handful.
You’ll also get more significant health benefits –
including vitamins, antioxidants and other valuable phytochemicals.
Use these herbs to pep up a simple low-fat dish (replacing other
less healthy seasonings such as salt) and do yourself good.
THYME
Culinary: Piquant and lightly lemony, thyme enhances
all meat and fish dishes and flavours oils or cider vinegar. Also
try it chopped in cottage cheese.
Health: The antibacterial active ingredient, thymol, is
contained in some mouthwashes and chest rubs.
PARSLEY
Culinary: Curly parsley makes an attractive garnish,
but the flat-leaved variety has a superior flavour. Use it in fish
dishes and in Italian meals.
Health: An almost unrivalled source of vitamin C –
only blackcurrants and guava score better. You’ll need a good
handful to benefit though. Also said to be a natural breath
freshener.
CORIANDER
Culinary: A distinctive fragrant taste that livens
salads and salsa and goes well with citrus flavours in
marinades.
Health: An antibacterial compound in coriander may prove a
means of fighting salmonella according to a recent study in the
Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. More studies are
needed.
OREGANO
Culinary: Often associated in Italian cuisine, it goes
well with tomato-based dishes.
Health: In laboratory studies, oregano essential oil has
antifungal properties against Candida albicans which causes
athlete’s foot. However it can be an irritant, so use 50% or
greater dilution and apply only topically.
ROSEMARY
Culinary: A staple of Mediterranean cuisine (and with
lamb), it also tastes good in ice creams and sorbets.
Health: Test tube studies have shown constituents of
rosemary to have potential antioxidant and anti-tumour effects, but
whether humans can benefit is not known.
MINT
Culinary: Various strains (e.g. peppermint, apple mint
and spearmint) make up the family. All types lend themselves to
lamb dishes and Middle Eastern flavours.
Health: An enteric-coated variety of peppermint oil is
available commercially to treat wind and indigestion. To make a
stomach-soothing cup of tea, steep a few mint leaves in boiling
water for several minutes.
BASIL
Culinary: Easy to grow on your windowsill, basil
complements summer vegetables – try it with tomatoes and
aubergines.
Health: Historically the herb has been used to soothe
digestive problems and to relieve intestinal wind.
SAGE
Culinary: The classic accompaniment to pork and
poultry, sage always tastes best fresh.
Health: Three grams of chopped leaf added to 150ml boiling
water and strained makes a mouthwash or gargle for a sore throat.
Herbalists use extractions or infusions of the herb for excessive
perspiration that can accompany the menopause and research
continues into its potential memory-boosting properties.
TARRAGON
Culinary: A warm, aromatic, aniseed taste. Finely
chopped, it enhances the flavour of poultry, mayonnaise, vegetables
(especially green beans) and salad dressings.
Health: Not really considered a medicinal herb but it was
widely used in ancient times to ward off dragons. With the relative
lack of them in the world, one must conclude it is effective.
NOTE: Don’t take large doses of herbs
long-term or during pregnancy without medical advice, or input from
a qualified herbalist.
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