Delicious & Healthy Herbs

By Lara Endreszl

Almost every breakfast I have ever had outside my kitchen comes with a clump of parsley—although I have never seen anyone eat the lonely sprig, I have long wondered if it was one of the original “green” recycled items in many eateries—but this is not how we should think of herbs. Herbs have become much more than an afterthought, and even though they are usually the last bit added to a plate, they are also the first thing you see. Herbs add another level of flavor and an added health benefits. Find out if your favorite greenery makes our list for popular healthy herbs none of us should be so quick to disregard:

Chives
Don’t let the baked potato fool you; these flavorful little herbs are a delight in other dishes too. Chop them up and add to soups, salads, homemade butters, salad dressings, and a whole lot more for a little color and a lot of taste. A cousin to the onion and garlic, chives contain substantial amounts of vitamin C as well as potassium, iron, folic acid, and calcium, all necessary for a well-rounded, nutritious meal. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), chives are used to stop a runny nose or clear a stuffy one. Chives have also been helpful throughout centuries for keeping bad breath away, strengthening the muscles in the lower back, increasing circulation, and calming churning stomachaches.

Rosemary
Besides being chicken’s favorite complementary herb in many a popular dish, and a lovely baby name, Rosemary has been popular for years in TCM. Rosemary is known for increasing your brain activity by stimulating alertness because of the potent volatile oils it contains. In laboratory tests, rats that were given rosemary were able to find their way more efficiently around in order to find the cheese. Amp up by giving your brain an ego boost without feeling the crash of an energy drink, and besides, rosemary has fewer calories.

Oregano
Oregano may be popular in Italian cooking, but if ravioli isn’t on your menu tonight, don’t hesitate to skip the pasta and use oregano as a way to help you get over the common cold. Oregano is antibacterial and helps de-clog your chest and keep your airways clear in order for you to breathe better. Along with boosting immunity, this seems to be the best herb for protecting against the flu. Oil of oregano also has a wide range of uses tool. Get your creativity flowing, use oregano in your next pesto.

Cilantro
Our friendly herb whose leaves and stems are of the coriander plant (commonly used in south of the border recipes), has a distinctive flavor that can cause some eaters to develop a distaste. Helpful for smooth digestion purposes and an organic burst of energy, if you like to eat cilantro, do.

Mint
Picture a delicious strawberry shortcake piled high with a light, airy cake, fresh whipped cream, and loads of sliced strawberries having been marinated in their own juice. Once you take a bite of this heavenly creation a tinge of unknown flavor unleashes the tart and the sweet of the berries like nothing else you have tasted. When you find out the berries have been macerated with mint all afternoon before arriving on your plate you are enthralled that this tiny herb can be more than a palate-cleansing, stomach-calming, mojito-enhancing leaf. Besides the culinary delights, mint cleans out your liver which draws the toxins out of your body, as well as quelling heartburn and fighting indigestion.

Parsley
Poor parsley is always getting a bad reputation for being the decoration amid morning pancakes, late-night chicken pot pies, and buffet tray leftovers. In TCM, parsley is well-known for cleaning the eyes and helping to cool down the liver so it does not work too hard in ridding the body of unwanted cells.

With over 80 percent of the world’s population using at least one form of herbal medicine and now that you know the health benefits of these aromatic, easy to find or grow, and commonly used herbs, the pickiest among us may need to think up a new reason to move these delicious herbs out of sight.