Herbs, nutrition, and health

How do you think about herbs?

Are they something you regularly add to food to enhance flavour? Is your preference for herbal teas, or are you interested in their purported medicinal and therapeutic components?

What nutrition do they contribute to your eating for health plan?

Herbs are, in general, small plants that have no woody aerial parts and are collectively known as herbaceous plants.

Many are seed bearing perennials which die back to ground level at the end of each growing season.

Herbs may include annuals and biennials, and herbs such as sage, rosemary, lavender, and bay leaves.

However, these latter herbs are not botanically considered herbs since the plants are shrubs and trees with woody stems which do not die down at the end of the growing season. 

Herb usage

The leaves and flowering parts of the plants are considered as the “herb” whereas dried seed, bark, roots, and fruit are considered “spices”.

Common popular herbs include the perennials thyme, mint, sage, lavender, rosemary, oregano, and marjoram, biennial parsley, annuals, basil and cilantro (coriander). Dill is used as both a herb and a spice.

Beverages

Herbs can be used in a variety of beverages.

Herbal teas or tisanes are infusions of dried or fresh leaves, flowers, or seeds of herbs.

These beverages can be consumed hot or cold. Chamomile and mint are common examples, but sage and rosemary leaves can also be used for tea.

Herbal teas are usually tannin and caffeine free and served without milk.

Alcoholic spirits such as gin may be distilled using botanicals (which include herbs), and which provide variation in the flavour of different brands of gin.

Herbs can also be added to cocktails.

Culinary additives

Herbs are not usually considered to contribute to the nutrient content of the food you eat in the way that vegetables, legumes, fruit, and grains do...link to the full article to learn more.