Wild fennel, herbal tea and cosmetics

Fennel, scientific name Feoniculum vulgare, is an aromatic plant of the Apiaceae family. There are two variants of fennel, the first, of which we will speak in the post, is wild fennel, a spontaneous variety, while the second is the sweet or cultivated fennel. Fennel, properties - Compared to sweet fennel, the wild one shows a stronger antioxidant activity thanks to a higher quantity of phenolic and flavonoid compounds (Faudale et al, J Agric Food Chem, 2008). The main active ingredient of wil...

Moroccan mint

Moroccan mint, scientific name Mentha spicata var crispa, is a perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and is a cousin of the well known peppermint. Moroccan mint has a sweeter taste than peppermint and, for this reason, can be used for cooking as a scented and healthy dressing but also to prepare the famous Moroccan mint tea. Moroccan mint, properties – For what concerns the properties, the leaves of the Moroccan mint, rich in essential oils, result, like peppermint, antimicrobial a...

Caraway seeds

The caraway, also called cumin, scientific name carum carvi, is a plant of the Apiaceae family whose seeds are widely used, especially for cooking in northern Europe, to flavor different dishes thanks to the taste that reminds that of anise and fennel. These seeds are also characterized by interesting healthy properties, in fact they contain proteins and fibers and are also a source of mineral salts, such as phosphorus, copper, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron, and vitamins, such as A, B, ...

Lovage

Lovage, Levisticum officinale, is a plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. This perennial plant has leaves that are very similar to that of celery. The lovage has diuretic, anti-rheumatic, tonic, digestive and carminative properties and, above all, according to recent studies, it is able to mimic the calorie restriction thanks to the presence of substances that promote the production of sirtuin, a protein that helps to speed up metabolism. Why this latter property is so important? Researchers h...

Bitter root from Socino

The bitter roots from Soncino are a type of chicory, Cichorium intybus, of the family Astaraceae, the same plant family of dandelion. These bitter roots are grown near Soncino, province of Cremona, Italy, they have an elongated shape, a white-beige color and are characterized by a bitter taste. The most important property of the bitter root of Soncino is its ability to purify the liver, kidneys and blood. These roots have also a carminative effect, that results very helpful in order to remove b...

Chives

Chives, common name of Allium schoenoprasum, are an aromatic plant of the Liliaceae family. The herb contains mineral salts such as potassium , magnesium, iron, calcium, selenium, zinc, and vitamins, vitamin A, group B, C, E, K, that prevents bone demineralization, and J. Chives contain also antioxidant substances such as lutein and zeaxanthin and its sulphur compounds are able to induce the apoptosis, that means the death, of cancer cells, as reported in the book “Anti-Cancer” written by dr. D...

Spearmint

Spearmint, also known as Mentha viridis, is a plant of the Lamiaceae family. It has tonic, antiseptic, anesthetic, refreshing, decongestant, digestive and carminative properties. The spearmint is therefore useful to treat bronchitis, catarrh, flatulence and digestive problems but also joint pain and joint stiffness. The latter application is demonstrated by a Canadian study published in December 2014 on the scientific Journal of Medicinal Food. Thank to these properties a brew of spearmint is t...

Cardamom

Cardamom is a spice whose scientific name is Elettaria, we know two varieties: green cardamom and black cardamom. Known since the time of Ancient Greeks and Romans, cardamom looks like a capsule containing the seeds, that are very fragrant. To use this spice the capsule should be broken and the seeds, once collected, can be used for flavoring food but also as a basis for herbal teas with beneficial properties in case of toothache, gum problems, poor digestion and inflammation of the respiratory ...

Costmary

Tanacetum balsamita, also known as balsam herb, costmary or mint geranium, is a plant of the Asteraceae family, already known by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, nowadays is widely spread in Europa, Africa and America. It can also be called the Bible leaf, because flowers and leaves of this plant were used in the past as a bookmark in bibles. The plant is known for its balsamic properties, it has indeed a mint-like fragrance, it has also carminative, anti-fermentation, digestive, antispasmodic ...

Walnut (tree)

The walnut tree has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, disinfecting, cleansing and digestive properties, it results able to purify and regenerate the intestine. Internal use, glycerine macerate – You can use the walnut glycerine macerate to treat disorders such as meteorism, flatulence, diarrhea and intestinal mucosa inflammation but also to help in case of skin problems, such as acne, dermatitis, eczema, oily skin thanks to the depurative action that acts from the inside of the body. Take 30 d...

Anise

Anise is a plant from the East and it includes three main varieties: the green anise, the most used for cooking or as natural remedy, in this article we’ll refer to this type, star anise and peppery anise. Anise has antispasmodic and stimulating properties for the digestive system: it is in fact a remedy used to relieve disorders related to difficult digestions such as headache or dizziness or to give relief in case of abdominal cramps and painful menstruation. In addition to this, thanks to its...

Lesser calamint

Clinopodium nepeta, also known as lesser calamint, thanks to its very similar aroma to that of mint, is used to make meat and fish dishes more tasty, but also to flavor salads and vegetable dishes. This aromatic herb has also beneficial properties in case of digestive and intestinal problems. It soothes the intestinal pains and used as an infusion it is helpful in case of flatulence and menstrual pain. Fresh in salad – you can add fresh lesser calamint leaves in salads and vegetable dishes lik...

Chamomile

Chamomile is a well known natural remedy. There are different types of chamomile but the most used are common chamomile and Roman chamomile, with very similar properties but Roman chamomile is very rich in essential oils. Let’s see the possible applications of chamomile. Herbal tea – In case of stress, stomach pain, bellyache, diarrhea, flatulence but also painful menstruation you can try the chamomile herbal tea. Boil water, then remove it from heat and leave to brew one tablespoon of dry cha...