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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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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.
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Marjoram (Origanum majorana, Lamiaceae) is a cold-sensitive
perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors. It is also
called Sweet Marjoram or Knotted Marjoram and Majorana hortensis. The name
marjoram (Old French majorane, Medieval Latin majorana) is not connected with
the word major. Marjoram is cultivated for its aromatic leaves, either green or
dry, for culinary purposes; the tops are cut as the plants begin to flower and
are dried slowly in the shade. It is often used in herb combinations such as
Herbes de Provence and Za'atar.
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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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From Indonesia, Lampong peppercorns are picked early, and
have a sharp heat. Break up well and are sometimes used to contrast against
whites or pinks as they grind effectively.
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a
flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is
usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The same fruit is also used to
produce white pepper and green pepper.[1] Black pepper is native to South India
and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in tropical regions. The
fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is a small drupe five millimetres in
diameter, dark red when fully mature, containing a single seed.
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Herbal Remedies
Herbal
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