A New Take on Herbs

By Kerri Whatley and the TLS Team

We all have our favorite herbs and spices we love to use in our day to day cooking, what we might not know is that some have health benefits also.

Take dill, for instance. It resembles a fern with its feathery-type leaves. It is best used fresh to boost the flavors in sauces, fish, and pickles. The essential oils in dill have a vitamin B complex, which can help us get a better nights rest and improve nerve function. Also, Dill itself is an appetizer and therefore extensively used in the culinary arts. The essential oils present in it are stimulant in nature and activate secretion of bile and digestive juices. These oils also stimulate peristaltic motion of the intestine.

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Dill

Marjoram is anherb can be used either fresh or dried (however, I like it better fresh). Chop some up with a little bit of olive oil and you have a great rub for fish or any meat to be grilled or sautéed. A lot of folks like it on lamb dishes! Marjoram seeds have been in use as a remedy to facilitate digestion. This digestive property of Marjoram seeds comes from its essential oils. Marjoram oil promotes digestion by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices like gastric juices, acids and bile in the stomach. Its aroma also stimulates the salivary glands and thus aids in the primary digestion of the food in the mouth. Lastly, it stimulates the peristaltic movement of the intestines and helps the ingested food to advance through them, thereby facilitating digestion again.

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Marjoram

Who doesn’t love sage? You can use whole sage leaves to add flavor to whole roast or pork or to simmer in soups containing garlic to balance out the flavor. Sage also plays as an anti-oxidant; this is perhaps the ace card of this oil and the reason behind its so extensive use in anti-ageing and skin treatment products. Anti-oxidants, as the name suggests, acts against the oxidants or the free radicals in the body, which are the main causes behind aging. These anti-oxidants slow down aging and prevent symptoms of aging like wrinkles, saggin