Medicinal Qualities of Common Cooking Herbs

Many everyday cooking herbs such as garlic, cayenne, thyme and ginger not only add flavor to dishes, but also have medicinal qualities.

Cayenne and Ginger

• Cayenne, a spicy herb commonly used in chili dishes, has antibacterial properties that combat infections. Ginger, a pungent herb, counteracts nausea and aids in the absorption of food.

Thyme

• Thyme is very high in antioxidants, which slow the aging process by combating free radicals that can cause a variety of damage in the body. Thyme also has antiseptic properties.

Features

• Many herbs contain vital antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Borage has vitamin C, potassium and selenium; chicory has potassium and B vitamins; parsley has vitamins A and C, calcium, copper, iron and potassium.

Benefits

• Eating herbs raw--such as in a salad of dandelion leaves, parsley and watercress--will have a higher antioxidant effect as opposed to adding them during the cooking process.
  Herbs such as fennel, dill and peppermint aid in digestion of foods and work especially well when sprinkled on baked fish.

Potential

• Common kitchen herbs are easy to grow. Simply buy started plants such as garlic chives, oregano, parsley and thyme, put them in pots near a sunny window, water every other day and watch them grow. When needed, take scissors and cut off some pieces.