SLC S21 Week 3 - Herbal Medicine in the Kitchen.

Greetings and welcome. Today am participating in this class homework teaching herbs in the kitchen.

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.

To create a recipe with three herbs found in my area, I prepared tomatoes Sauce and I used three herbs commonly found in my area to prepare the sauce and the herbs are ginger, garlic and Tumeric.

	The three herbs

The other ingredients are used for my recipe is:

	Other ingredients

• Tomato paste
• Onions
• Pepper
• Crayfish
• Oil
• Spaghetti and
• Hotdog

Procedures

I first grated some of the ginger, garlic and Tumeric and added oil to the pot. I fried the herbs slightly to allow their aroma settle well into the food before adding my onions and fresh tomatoes to cook for a while.

I proceeded to add my seasoning like salt. Pepper, crayfish and cooked a little while before adding the hot dog. My tomatoes sauce was ready.

I boiled the spaghetti and used the sauce to eat it. The herbs I added made the sauce have a different feel from the normal ones I cook without them.

Health benefits of ginger

Ginger as a herb has many health benefits. Ginger is beneficial in fighting cold and flu, it helps in the reduction of nausea and helps digestion. Ginger contains ginger as its main compound and ginger is an antioxidant and had anti inflammatory properties that helps in reducing stress cause by oxidation of too many free radical in our body.

Ginger comes in handy in treating nausea and even the nausea due to pregnancy. People who are undergoing chemotherapy or certain type of surgery may find ginger helpful to relieve nausea. Ginger is beneficial for weight loss for overweight people and this is due to its inflammation reduction ability.

Ginger helps in dealing with digestive issues such as bloating, pain in the abdomen, and belching and improves indigestion symptoms. Ginger helps to lower the level of cholesterol and relieve dysmenorrhea in women.
Ginger is useful in fighting fungal and bacteria infections due to its anti microbial properties.

Health benefits of Garlic

Garlic is a very nutritious herb that is rich in victim C, manganese and other vitamins like B6 with other numerous trace nutrients. It’s effective in protecting us against cold, flu and some illnesses as it boosts our immune system and prevents viruses from evading and reproducing in our cells.

Its active compounds such as acillin and ajoene helps to reduce cardiovascular disease like stroke, heart attack and lower blood pressure and cholesterol level in the body.

The antioxidants contained in garlic is useful for the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s and delay decline in cognitive ability caused due to aging. Also the protective mechanisms of the body is supported by these anti oxidants contained in garlic and these antioxidants reduces Stress too.

Health benefits of Tumeric

Tumeric is a an antioxidant and its bio active compounds are very medicinal. Curcumin is the active ingredients contained in Tumeric and it’s anti inflammatory, meaning that it’s very useful in fighting against inflammation which is the basis for many diseases and health conditions we face.

Curcumin in Tumeric improves the function of the endothelium and helps to protect the body against heart diseases and other related issues. Curcumin has been found to be helpful in fighting the growth of cancer cells and inhibiting metastasis.

Tumeric inhibits oxidation and inflammation and hence improves the brain cognitive ability
aiding to fight Alzheimer. Tumeric helps to relive pains in patients with osteoarthritis which is a disease caused by the inflammation of the joint’s cartilage.

Tumeric can help in dealing with anxiety and depression hence improving our mood due to its curcumin content.

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.

The two seasonings are Cinnamon and thyme.

Health benefits of Cinnamon

	Grinded Cinammon

Cinnamon is an aromatic spice that is full of many health benefits. Cinnamon posses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that helps to protect pancreatic cells and improve the function of insulin. It helps to prevent insulin resistance and diabetes.

Cinnamon has anti inflammatory and anti oxidant properties that helps in the prevention of diabetes in the body and also prevents the resistance of insulin meaning that it helps insulin functions and protects the cells of the pancreas.

Cinnameldehyde, a compound contained in cinnamon helps to burn fats and boosts the metabolism in the body hence it’s essential for weight loss. Cinnamon helps in the treatment of oral challenges like bad breath, gingivitis and even cavities due to the compounds eugenol and cinnamaldehyde contained in it.

Its antioxidants helps to prevent the damage that can be caused in our nervous system by free radicals.

Health benefits of thyme

	Dried thyme

Thyme is a spice which have come to be an integral part of our kitchen and it’s known for its special aroma when used to cook and season food and especially proteins.

Thyme is known for its antioxidatory and anti inflammatory properties due to its main component called thymol which is very effective against viruses and bacteria. Thyme is useful as an antiseptic and anti expectorant helping to alleviate cough.

Thyme contains vitamins and minerals like copper, manganese, iron and vitamins C and A which are essential for body building. Thyme is effective in fighting fungus and bacteria infections. It can be effective for boosting our mood and lowering our blood pressure.

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.

	The herb selling shop at the local market

For my herb identification, I went to a local market and I identified these five herbs and took photos of them amd also bought them and they are:

Cinnamon: Uses and how it can be incorporated into cooking:

	Cinnamon stick

	Grinded cinnamon

Cinnamon can be use for a variety of things such as supplements in diets. Patients with problems that are gastrointestinal such as irritable bowel syndrome or diabetes can use cinnamons as dietary supplement as long as it’s consumed in minimal amounts such as we have in foods.

Cinnamon as an aromatic herb can be used on the body to repel insects. Cinnamons sticks are used in brewing tea as stirrers. They are used in beauty treatment because of their antioxidatory and anti inflammatory properties.

When it comes to cooking, cinnamon is used in as spice for cooking soups and stews and sauce especially when it’s Grinded into powder. Cinnamon is used in making pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls, snickerdoddles, apples pies and even churros or coffee cakes.

To give extra flavor to baking, cinnamon can be sprinkled over the baked items. It’s also used in teas and can also be used in ice cream servings.

Ginger: Uses and how it can be incorporated into cooking

	Ginger

Ginger usage is very versatile and can be used in so many ways as fresh, dried, grinded, as an oil and as tea or juice.

Ginger can be used at home to make teas as a remedy for cold and flu. Nausea can be handled by taking ginger ale. Ginger is used as a beauty product to make face masks for acne treatments, foot scrubs and even tonics for hair. Ginger is used for body massage in physiotherapy clinics.

In cooking ginger comes in very handy as it can be used to cook virtually any type of stews and soups you can think of according to your taste. I use ginger in my stews a lot and I drink it too as ginger tea.

Ginger is used in baking to make ginger bread and other types of cookies. Ginger comes in very handy in the making of salads and some stir fries. You can add ginger to cocktail drinks to give it a spike.

Garlic: Uses and how it can be incorporated into cooking

	Garlic

Garlic and its uses comes in very handy in cooking and other areas. Patients who are suffering from high blood pressure or cholesterol can include garlic in their diets as dietary supplements due to its acillin and ajoene contains as I explained in its health benefits.

Garlic can be used on the skin as a beauty treatment agent to make the skin lighter and to handle pimples and acne’s on the face. Caution has to be taken when using garlic on the skin to avoid reactions and it can be combined with other ingredients for effective results.

For cooking garlic is used to cook stews and soups. It can be used as fresh herb, dried and grinded or the oil can be used in cooking. I use both fresh and powdered garlic for my stews and sauces and also to spice up my proteins like chicken, beefs and others while cooking. Its aroma is unique in food.

Garlic is used to make mashed potatoes, portobello mushrooms, stir fries, garlic potato bake, Spanish white soup and it can even be eaten as whole fried garlic.

Tumeric: Uses and how it can be incorporated into cooking

	Tumeric

Tumeric is used aside cooking for a couple of things. It is used by patients with arthritis, allergies, depression and digestive disorders as dietary supplements. It’s used on the skin to treat skin disorders and issues pertaining to the digestive system and the joints.

Tumeric is used in making drinks like teas, or can be used in making coffees or lattes and also used in making golden milk. I add Tumeric to my smoothies and it can be added also in home made juices. It’s comes in handy in making chicken marinades or for vegetables.

As a spice in the culinary world, it’s used to cook soups, stews and sauces. I use it as a part of my culinary herbs in my kitchen. Tumeric can be used to cook rice dishes, egg dishes and can be used in baking cakes and bread to add colour to them.

Thyme: Uses and how it can be incorporated into cooking

	Thyme

Thyme is a great herb with versatile uses. Thyme comes in handy in cooking all types of sauces, soups and stews and may other types of dishes especially to spice up protein stock like chicken stock, fish etc.

Thyme is used as tea for health related issues like digestive issues, common cold and coughs. The oil gotten from it is used to repel insects and also as antiseptics. Oil gotten from thyme is said to help in hair growth restoration when added to the scalp.

Thyme is also used in the production of some deodorants and soaps. If you are considering rock gardening, thyme is a good choice since it does well in poor soil.

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

I used ginger and Tumeric to prepare to prepare my herbal detox medicine.

	Fresh ginger and turmeric

I sliced the fresh ginger and Tumeric into tiny pieces and put it in a brewing pot.

I measured 150ml of water and boiled it in a kettle.

I added the boiled water into the herbs in the pot and allowed it to brew for ten minutes.

Then I poured it into the cup after seizing it. I added lemon to it to enhance the effectiveness and my herbal detox was ready.

How ginger and tumeric detoxifies the body

Ginger and Tumeric detoxifies the body in the following ways;

• Ginger supports the function of the kidney through increment of the antioxidants in the kidney which inturn helps in the reduction of fibrosis and inflammation.

• Tumeric due to its anti- bacterial, anti- viral and anti-oxidating properties helps the liver to remove excess and toxic wastes from the body.

• Ginger helps in removing of toxic and waste substances in the body organs thereby promoting digestion, makes the body to sweat and helps in circulation.

• Tumeric helps to strengthen the barriers in the intestines hence allows nutrients into the body while keeping harmful substances out.

• Ginger helps in boosting the immune system by aiding the body to absorb nutrients.

• Tumeric also improves our immune system while boosting our overall body metabolism.

• Inflammatory bowel diseases, asthma and arthritis due to rheumatism can be curtailed due to the antioxidants in ginger that helps in reducing inflammation.

When our body is detoxified, it comes with so many benefits. Detoxification can boost our immune system, reduce cravings and inflammation, helps with maintaining our body PH balance, good mood and emotions, improve our general wellbeing, make for good blood circulation, better sleep and improve liver function and improve longevity.

Thank you for reading through my post. I ask @ruthjoe, @beewrites and @jovita30 to join the learning challenge.