Adding “POP” to Your Food !

Nancy and I did a cooking demonstration yesterday at Cancer Wellness of Piedmont on how to cook with fresh herbs. IT was wonderful! We had Michelle Henning, the vice president of Shenandoah Valley Herb Farm with us as well. The amazing thing about cooking with herbs is what “pop” it gives the food. I can not believe that there are so little calories and no fat in these fresh herbs. It is a wonderful way to change up your meal plan and enhance your immune system on a daily basis. Here are a few of the herbs we cooked with yesterday and why they are important to our body.

 Garlic – Garlic has the ability to reduce the formation of cancerous cells. Garlic is shown to actually block cancer causing compounds from forming, and slow the growth of tumor cells. Garlic is especially helpful in blocking esophageal, breast, stomach, prostate, and bladder cancer. Compounds form when garlic is crushed. Among the sulfur compounds of garlic there are some called ajoenes, which are also noted for their “antitumor” abilities.

Basil –This herb contains flavonoids (orientin and vicenin) which are the two important water-soluble plant based compounds. They help basil protect itself from cell damage from radiation and oxygen-based damaged. Therefore, when we eat basil, these flavonoids are helping us do the same thing.

Sorrel  Contains high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Chives -Aid digestion, stimulates appetite, and can help the body in digesting fatty foods. Chives have been found to comprise of mild anti-inflammatory properties

Mint – This fresh herb is rich in: vitamin A, C, B12, thiamine, folic acid and riboflavin. Essential minerals that mint has include: manganese, copper, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium.

Rosemary -Not only does rosemary aid the circulatory system, but it aids the digestive system as well. IT helps with flatulence, intestinal cramping and feelings of being bloated.

Tarragon –  Promotes the production of bile by the liver, which aids in digestion and helps speed the process of eliminating toxic waste in the body.  People with high blood pressure can use tarragon as a salt substitute