Herbs: the gift of nature

Herbs are small plants characterized by delicate, soft, and green stems. They have a short lifespan, but they grow back again each new season.

There is a variety of herbs such as mint, basil, and tarragon. They are famous for their amazing properties. Herbs are commonly used in cooking to create delicious flavorful dishes and in medicine to solving health issues and in some spiritual ceremonies.

Herbs in cooking and health:

No one can deny the importance of herbs in cooking and cuisines. For many years, herbs and spices were the principal features of some universal cuisines.

Follow me to meet herbs!

Cilantro:

Cilantro is also known as coriander leaf, Chinese parsley, pal chee, or simply green coriander. It has been used in different famous cuisines in India, Mexico, and Vietnam. The seeds of cilantro are also called coriander. It can be added to a variety of dishes such as soups.

This herb is rich in dietary fiber, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Furthermore, it is considered a wonderful source of vitamins such as vitamin k, vitamin c, vitamin k, and proteins, calcium, potassium, and carotene. Thanks to antioxidants in cilantro, skin inflammation can be reduced. Also, it fights skin aging and makes skin white and clear.

For strong beautiful hair, it is recommended to use cilantro juice because it is full of vitamins and proteins that reduce hair loss and to obtain long shiny hair.

Coriander plays a vital role in improving the function of the kidney. In this case, you have to drink coriander tea.

Mint:

In the United States, the most popular types of mint are peppermint and spearmint. Peppermint is very strong because of the high concentration of menthol. Meanwhile, spearmint is sweeter.

Mint also includes ginger and curly mint. It is a common component in Thai food as well as in the Middle Eastern plates and dishes such as “tabbouleh”. In addition, mint is used in preparing tea. In Tunisian ceremonies and festivals, mint tea is a necessity. You can also use mint in making cocktails and juice such as Mojito to relax after a long day of working or studying.

This wonderful herb is used to relieve indigestion and reduce inflammation by mixing it with green tea herb.

Parsley:

Parsley is widely known. It can do much more than garnish a salad or a dish. For many cuisines, parsley is a significant element in food like French soups, egg recipes, kinds of pasta, and pizzas. Although this green herb is related to Scandinavian cuisine, it can also be found in other traditional dishes such as our Tunisian dish “masfouf”.

Basil:

It is considered the most commonly used herb in the United States, Italy, and Southeast Asia. The dark green color is the famous feature that makes basil considered a wonderful garnish in some dishes.

The leaves of basil can range from green to purple. It is an amazing source of vitamins, manganese, iron, calcium, magnesium, and omega3. Basil has vital antibacterial properties.

Dill:

This herb is used in medicines to treat a lot of serious issues such as stomach pain, diarrhea, headaches, heartaches, liver disease, kidney stones, insomnia, and some eye problems.

Oregano:

It has two alternate names as wild marjoram and pot marjoram. It is difficult to find fresh oregano in supermarkets and spice stores. The dried oregano flavor is much stronger than that of fresh oregano. It adds warmth to dishes.

Rosemary:

Rosemary is an aromatic herb with a strong fragrance and flavor. It is a native of the Mediterranean region. This aromatic herb has wide popularity in Italian cuisine. Italian people use rosemary in a variety of dishes like flatbread called schiacciata and in chicken cacciatore.

This amazing herb goes well with poultry and fish.

Savory:

It has long, thin, and delicate green leaves. There are two types of savory; winter and summer savory. While summer savory is characterized by a peppery flavor, winter’s has a strong flavor.

It is related to European cuisines. This herb is commonly added to soups.

Many medical industries add savory to their products because of their wonderful healthy features.

How to conserve these health treasures:

To help herbs last longer, you have to refrigerate them. Firstly, wrap flat leaves or small stems. Secondly, put them in plastic bottles so that they remain fresh. Add them at the end of cooking so that the heat doesn't destroy the flavor.

Herbs should be used carefully because high consumption can lead to serious problems such as allergies. Be wise and enjoy nature’s gifts.