Savory

    Savory is known as the bean herb, for it not only augments the flavor of dried beans but also aids in their digestion and helps to prevent flatulence. Savory’s slight peppery flavor, fresh or dried, is also excellent in salads, soups, sausage, fish, and poultry. Crush savory leaves on a bee sting to reduce swelling and pain. Chew the leaves for sweetened breath and brew them as tea for relief of indigestion and fever.


Please click in the labels below for more foods with related medicinal benefits.

Rue

    This bitter herb was often used in medieval Europe to flavor salads and omelets. Today it is still used as an herb tea to soothe headaches, nerves, menstrual pains, and infant colic. Brew 1 teaspoon dried leaves in 2 cups boiling water.

Peppermint

            Peppermint leaves (fresh or dried) are used primarily for making tea. Its tantalizing flavor and healthful qualities make it excellent for young and old…and those of us in between. Brew 1 tablespoon leaves in 2 cups boiling water until desired strength is reached. Add honey and lemon if you like, and drink for pure enjoyment, or for relief from colds, headaches, indigestion, and nervousness. Peppermint is rich in vitamin A and C. When buying bag “peppermint teas”, be sure that the content is pure peppermint leaf as opposed to orange pekoe tea with the addition of a few peppermint leaves.

            Oil extracted from the peppermint leaves has long been used as a flavoring in toothpastes and mouthwashes, chewing gum, and candy. Peppermint oil is a useful item to keep in the medicine cabinet, for it will alleviate toothache when applied to a bothersome tooth. It will also act as a mild anesthetic in cases of surface burns, and a dozen drops in a cup of herb tea may waylay attacks of diarrhea.