Healthy herbs - part two

Having covered basil, thyme and mint in the last healthy herb post, this one will focus on cilantro/coriander, chives and ginger for more of an Asian theme ;) 

These herbs (okay, okay, ginger isn’t technically a herb) have been chosen because they can grow in various different climates, so shouldn’t just be confined to those of us in Asia. I’ll talk through some of the nutritional benefits, and the book we’re busy editing will provide the growing tips, so stay tuned! 

Cilanterrific

Don't through away the roots, these can be cleaned and then used in Thai food in particular; they're a key component in delicious Thai soups and curries once bashed a bit in a pestle and mortar to release a flavour that differs from the leaves. 

Prevalent in so many Asian cuisines – and Central American ones for that matter – cilantro, beyond its pungency and zingy freshness, packs a pollutant heavy metal-busting iron punch. In particular drawing toxic metals like mercury and lead from your tissues. Additionally, a cilantro-packed salad will likely contain more than 100% of your vitamin K recommended daily intake. This vitamin does many things – see this page of our site for more – including bone strengthening. Vitamin A is similarly strongly represented – providing antioxidant and vision-boosting properties, among others – and decent showings of folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, beta carotene, and vitamin-C complete the picture. 

Beyond iron, cilantro’s mineral properties include potassium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. Potassium’s benefits range from stress reduction to the associated heart rate and blood pressure regulation.  Magnesium is something I’ve talked about at length before, but as most of us are deficient in it, we really need to get more of the sleep and depression regulator. In an uncharacteristic confession, I suffer from severe depression – which partly explains erratic posting schedules – and am trying to get as much of this stuff as possible. It’s impossible to directly attribute increased magnesium intake to depression alleviation, but after a torrid few months I think it is certainly helping. 

Chive talk

Part of the onion, leek and garlic family (posh name is allium vegetables), chives are versatile in both cooked dishes (like stir-fries) or in salads. Common in cuisines as diffuse as Russian and Chinese, chives can also help boost your immune system as well as lowering risks of developing certain cancers (prostate, stomach and breast in particular). 

These easy to grow little fellas will also produce lovely (and edible) purple flowers, so they look great as well as tasting great... 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) chives are thought to unlock the Yang Qi (of Ying and Yang fame), one of the crucial life-forces in our bodies. More specifically TCM suggests that chives also disperse cold symptoms – including phlegm, coughing, wheezing and chest pain – along with helping severe stomach conditions like dysentery and diarrhoea. 

In vitamin terms, chives are not dissimilar to cilantro, with an abundance of vitamins A and K. Additionally they are a rich source of vitamin C, often associated predominantly with citrus fruits, but also present in many herbs and vegetables. Vitamin C is an important constituent in the production of collagen, which we need for bone, gum, teeth and blood vessel health. The evidence for its role in fighting colds and infection is, as yet, not definitively proven, but perhaps it’s interesting that TCM has also alighted on the cold-fighting properties of the allium family… 

Gingerlicious

One of my favourite plants – okay, okay, it’s not really a herb – ginger adds real zing to everything from savoury dishes to drinks to desserts. I really can’t get enough of ginger, and luckily for me it’s also pretty healthy! 

Add this to your post-workout ritual to help reduce inflammation and boost recovery time... 

Beyond its use in settling upset tummies – which extends to morning, travel and chemotherapy sickness – ginger also posses funky little compounds calls gingerols which help reduce post-exercise inflammation and possibly also possess cancer- and osteoarthritis-fighting properties. These ginerols contain a pithily-named diarylheptanoid structure thought to have antioxidant, free-radical, and tumour-suppressing elements. Furthermore, ginger has bacteria-killing and detoxifying properties, for example combatting salmonella bacteria in food. 

In TCM ginger is thought to speed up the body’s metabolism, reduce pain and inflammation, and aid the functioning of the prostate, helping sexual dysfunction in ageing men. Something the foot reflexology uncle I go to swears by, along with massaging just below his ankle bone; he says its done wonders for him and the missus, but that’s for a separate post perhaps: “unsolicited advice from uncles.” 

Summary 

Not only are herbs and spices great additions to your food, but they also have manifold health benefits. The reason I’ve focused so much on herbs, is generally they can be grown in very small spaces, and are therefore perfect for urban farms, especially those of us confined to apartments. Furthermore, they tend to be quite pricey and also difficult to use before they wilt if bought in a store. There is nothing quite like picking fresh herbs from your urban farm and chucking them into your food!