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Herbs and Herbal Remedies
Herbal
Books For a quick check list of
herbs & medicinal uses: herbal therapy
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Here is a sample of herbs you might find useful for your herbal remedies.
more on
herbal therapy
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Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, synonym C. verum) is a small evergreen tree
10-15 m tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and a spice obtained from the
inner bark of this species. It is native to Sri Lanka. The leaves are
ovate-oblong in shape, 7-18 cm long. The flowers, which are arranged in
panicles, have a greenish colour and a rather disagreeable odour. The fruit is a
purple 1 cm berry containing a single seed. Cinnamon is principally employed in
cookery as a condiment and flavouring material, being largely used in the
preparation of some kinds of chocolate and liqueurs, also
cinnamon quills and ground cinnamon. In medicine it acts like
other volatile oils and once had a reputation as a "cure" for
colds. The pungent
taste and scent come from cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde.
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Coriander seeds have a lemony citrus flavor when crushed. It
is also described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured. They are usually
dried but can be eaten green. Ground coriander is a major ingredient in curry
powder, certain Belgian-style beers and other aromatic dishes. If the spice is
bought whole in a non-dried form, it can be dried in the sun. Most commonly, it
is bought as whole dried seeds, but can be bought in ground form. Store
coriander seed in a tightly sealed container away from sunlight and heat. For
maximum flavor use within 6 months and keep for no more than 1 year. It can be
roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly to enhance the aroma before grinding it
in an electric grinder or with a mortar and pestle; ground coriander seeds lose
their flavour quickly in storage and are best only ground as needed.
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Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a spicy, Mediterranean,
perennial herb, particularly common in Greek and Italian cuisines. It is the
leaves that are used in cooking, and the dried herb is often more flavourful
than the fresh. Oregano is a conditio sine qua non in Italian cuisine, where it
is used for tomato sauces, fried vegetables and grilled meat. Together with
basil, it makes up for the character of Italian dishes; see parsley on Italian
variants of bouquet garni. Oregano can effectively combined with pickled olives
and capers or lovage leaves; other than most Italian herbs, oregano harmonizes
even with hot and spicy food, as is popular in Southern Italy. The cuisines of
other Mediterranean countries make less use of it, but it is of some importance
for Spanish, French and Greek cooking.
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Turmeric (Curcuma longa, also known as tumeric or curcumin)
is a spice commonly used in curries and other south Asian cooking. It is a
significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders. Turmeric is also used
to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broth, and
other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron), and is also used
as a fabric dye. Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. In
traditional medicine, turmeric is thought to have many healthful properties. It
is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps
with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular served as a tea in
Okinawa, Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in
Alzheimers disease, cancer and liver disorders.
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Cayenne pepper is a very hot red powder used to flavour
dishes; its name comes from the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. The powder
comes from the fruit of several cultivated varieties of the Capsicum baccatum
and Capsicum frutescens species of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The
fruits are either dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are
then ground and sifted to make the powder. Cayenne is used in cooking spicy hot
dishes. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. The name is
derived from the Tupi word kyinha, literally "hot pepper". It is also used as an
herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his Complete
Herbal.
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Herbal Remedies
Herbal
Books
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