| |
|
.
Herbs and Herbal Remedies
Herbal
Books For a quick check list of
herbs & medicinal uses: herbal therapy
Rue
Here is a sample of herbs you might find useful for your herbal remedies.
more on
herbal therapy
Rue
Basil is most commonly used fresh, and in cooked recipes, is generally added
at the last moment, as cooking destroys the flavour quickly. The fresh herb can
be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer
period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Place
fresh leaves in a dry jar with a pinch of salt, and cover with olive oil. The
dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains
tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavour, like hay.
Rue
Fenugreek is used both as a herb (the leaves) and a spice
(the seed). The yellow, rhombic fenugreek seed is frequently used in the
preparation of pickles, curry powders and pastes, and is often encountered in
the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent and Thailand. The young leaves and
sprouts of fenugreek are eaten as greens and the fresh or dried leaves are used
to flavor other dishes. Fenugreek is also one of four herbs used for the Iranian
recipe Ghormeh Sabzi. A side effect of consuming even small amounts of fenugreek
is a maple syrup or curry smell in the eater's sweat and urine which is caused
by the potent aroma compound sotolone. Fenugreek is frequently used in the
production of flavoring for artificial syrups. The taste of toasted fenugreek is
additionally based on substituted pyrazines, as is cumin. By itself, it has a
somewhat bitter taste. Fenugreek seed is widely used as a galactagogue (milk
producing agent) by nursing mothers to increase inadequate breast milk supply.
It can be found in capsule form in many health food stores.
Rue
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen
subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is
native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. The uses and benefits
ascribed to it are many and varied, and are often shared with related species.
The commonest uses made of the common sage include teas and infusions, which are
considered to have calming drink, and as a digestive agent. Common
sage is
also grown in parts of Europe, especially the Balkans for distillation of the
essential oil, though other species, such as Salvia triloba may also be
harvested and distilled with it.
Rue
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.
Rue
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.
Rue
Herbal Remedies
Herbal
Books
Rue
|
|
|
