SLC S21 Week 3 - Herbal Medicine in the Kitchen.

I love the fact that I have to use more of herbs now for all my recipes. I have not valued herbs for a very long time but since this class, I have improved and I look healthier. I think I will keep doing it even after the lessons

Recipe Creation: Create a meal or recipe using at least 3 herbs which are commonly found in your area and explain the health benefits of each herb in the recipe

I have prepared a local dish called "Palm-oil rice" This dish is a local dish that is best prepared using herbs to hence the taste. Without herbs, you can't get the actual or real taste of the meal.

Ingredients for my Palm-oil rice

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Onion
• Rice
• Palm-oil
• Crayfish
• Pepper
• Salt

Steps

• Add clean water in a pot and set on fire, allow to boil then pour in the raw rice to boil for 1 minute. Wash the rice and set aside.

	Add oil to a dry pot and allow to heat

• Peel, wash and slice the herbs into tiny pieces and set aside.

Add all the sliced herbs into the heated oil

	Stir as it fry. Allow to fry for 20 minutes to get the full taste

Add an amount of water and cover the pot to boil

	Pour in the rice into the boiling mixture on fire and cover to cook for 25 minutes

My herbal local rice	Yummy and delicious

I have used three herbs to prepare this sumptuous meal and they are; Ginger, Garlic, and Onion

Health benefits of ginger

Ginger is a herb with many health advantages. It helps combat colds and flu, reduces nausea, and aids digestion. The main compound in ginger is gingerol, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that can help lower stress caused by excess free radicals in the body.

Ginger is particularly effective for treating nausea, including that experienced during pregnancy. It can also assist those undergoing chemotherapy or certain surgeries in managing nausea. For those who are overweight, ginger can support weight loss due to its ability to reduce inflammation.

Additionally, ginger addresses digestive problems like bloating, abdominal pain, and belching, and it can improve symptoms of indigestion. It also helps lower cholesterol levels and can ease menstrual pain in women. Furthermore, ginger's antimicrobial properties make it useful in fighting fungal and bacterial infections.

Health benefits of onion

Eating onions can support our body in fighting diseases and help improve our overall health. With the help of antioxidants packed in onions, the cells are protected from damage. Free radicals form when the body encounters tobacco smoke, and these can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Onions are packed with prebiotics and fiber. These elements support gut health by helping digestion, boosting the immune system, and reducing inflammation. They are high in fructans, a kind of prebiotic fiber that feeds good bacteria in the gut, promoting better digestion.

Health benefits of garlic

Garlic's antioxidants are beneficial for preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and they help slow down cognitive decline that comes with aging. These antioxidants also support the body's protective functions and help reduce stress.

The active ingredients in garlic, such as allicin and ajoene, can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases like strokes and heart attacks, as well as reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Garlic is a highly nutritious herb packed with vitamin C, manganese, and other vitamins like B6, along with many trace nutrients. It helps protect us from colds, flu, and various illnesses by strengthening our immune system and stopping viruses from entering and multiplying in our cells.

Research Seasoning Health Benefits: Pick any two seasonings and research their health benefits. Write a short paragraph on each, covering how they can benefit your health when included in meals.

	I have chosen thyme and curry powder

Health benefits of thyme

Thyme is a popular herb that adds flavor to many dishes. It has been used for centuries for its health benefits and as a preservative. Nowadays, thyme is found in many products, including mouthwashes, teas, and nasal sprays, in addition to its culinary uses.

Belonging to the mint family, thyme features small, green leaves and slender stems. This strong, bushy herb has a powerful scent and taste. You can use thyme fresh, dried, or as an essential oil.

Thyme has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits because of thymol, its key ingredient. Thymol works well against viruses and bacteria. Additionally, thyme acts as an antiseptic and helps reduce coughing as an anti-expectorant.

Fresh or dried thyme can be used as a substitute for salt when cooking. This can help cut down on the usage of salt, which is important for someone with high blood pressure. Thyme has over the years been a home remedy for coughs and respiratory conditions.

Health benefits of curry

Curry is not only a tasty and fragrant meal loved around the globe; it also offers many health benefits. Its spices can help improve heart health and lower inflammation.

Eating curry is famous for its high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important because they help protect our body from diseases like cancer and heart disease. They also help to lower blood sugar level. It is a good take for digestion because of the other ingredients found in it. It boosts the immune system and very good for brain health.

Herb Identification Challenge: Identify five herbs at a local grocery store or farmer's market, taking photos and writing down their uses, along with how they could be incorporated into cooking.

Local grocery store	Local grocery store

I was able to identify;

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Tumeric
• Cinnamon
• Thyme

Ginger is a well known herb in my country home and can be used in many forms, cooking, drinking, beauty check, physiotherapy, chewing etc...

When it comes to things ginger can be used for, it is numerous. At home, ginger is great for making teas that help with colds and flu just as we have practiced in this lesson also in cooking, ginger is useful for adding flavor to various stews and soups. I often include ginger in my stews and enjoy it as tea. You can also drink ginger to ease nausea and can also be used in face masks for acne, hair tonics and foot scrubs,.

Garlic is a common ingredient in stews and soups. It can be used fresh, dried and ground, or as oil in cooking. I like to use both fresh and powdered garlic in my stews and sauces, jollof and to add flavor to meats, the aroma is out of this world. One does not have to wait for any health challenge before they can eat garlic.

I sometimes chew it raw because I feel when cooking it, some of it's health benefits are destroyed. Garlic as I know can also be used to enhance the skin and eradicate rashes.

Tumeric is a very powerful herb that can be used in so many ways and in so many things. In cooking, it can be introduced to all dishes,non is exceptional. Tumeric can be used to treat come ill health like; arthritis, allergies, depression

It can be used to treat joint related issues and also for the enhancement of beauty. You can extend it to making juice, teas and coffee at home.

Thyme is made into tea to help with health problems such as colds, digestion, and coughs. The oil from thyme can keep insects away and is also used as an antiseptic. When applied to the scalp, thyme oil is believed to support hair growth. In cooking, thyme is an automatic herb that leaves the kitchen flavoured. I enjoy it when spicing my chicken stock or cooking soups.

Cinnamon is a popular spice in cooking. It is often added to soups, stews, and sauces, especially when ground into powder. You can find cinnamon in recipes for pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls, snickerdoodles, apple pies, and even churros or coffee cakes.

Cinnamon sticks are used to stir tea. They are also used in beauty treatments because they are high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Cinnamon can be added on top of baked goods to enhance their flavor.

Prepare a herbal detox medicine and tell step by step process and how it helps to detoxify the body

I have used three herbs to prepare my detox medicine

	ginger, cloves and lemon

• I peel the ginger and washed it in a clean water with the cloves.

• Then I went ahead to slice them into tiny pieces and added them in a cup.

Sliced ginger and gloves in a cup

• I measured 120ml of water using my cup, I poured it into a pot and set on fire to boil.

• I removed the water and poured it into the cup with ginger and gloves.

	Ginger and Gloves soaked in hot water

• I covered the cup with it's cover and allowed it to brew for 40 minutes. This way, the flavours is achieved and it's taste is given.

Ginger and Gloves covered to brew

• After seiving out charf, I poured it into a transparent cup. Now, I added lemon water to enhance my drink.

	Adding lemon water to my drink

• I allowed it to cool off before drinking it

Ginger, cloves, and lemon can help with detoxification in a number of ways;

Lemons contain citric acid, which aids in cleansing the liver, while ginger supports liver detoxification. They can lower inflammation and mucus, helping with issues like bronchitis and asthma.

Cloves and ginger both promote better digestion. Ginger can boost mood, assisting in stress relief and encouraging healthier eating choices. They also lower the chances of heart and liver problems, Increase metabolism, decrease hunger urges, balancing blood sugar levels, and enhancing hydration.

Side affects is also possible, so you watch your level of intake.

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