In cooking herbs and spices are usually different:

 

HERBS usually means the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant (and they are encountered in cooking either fresh or dried), while SPICES are the product of other parts of the plant and are generally used as a dried product. Seeds are used as spices as are bark, roots and fruits, such as berries.

 

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, and in some cases, spiritual. General usage of the term "herb" differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. In medicinal or spiritual use any of the parts of the plant might be considered "herbs", including leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (and cambium), resin and pericarp.

 

 

 

 

Thought of by most people as simply a garden weed, it does have a lot of useful properties and has been drunk as an infusion (Dandelion Tea was once very popular).  The roots as well s the leaves are used, even the bright yellow flowers are much cherished and can be used. Dandelion is now becoming common once again in kitchens as it is rich in several vitamins, including A, C and E  and very high in minerals such as iron and potassium.

 

Karris has been a lifelong animal lover and passionate vegan.  She wants to introduce as many people as possible of the huge benefits that Vegan life can bring and is making some amazing offers of introductory boxes of Vegan foods and Vegan beauty products.   

 

Glasgow based TVK stock a full range of Vegan products and books, though many of the top Vegan titles are temporarily out of print, such is the demand.

 

They also distribute a dozen much sought after supplements and vitamins, including Omega 3, Spirulina, B12, Bilberry, Lecithin and Supergreens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1. Turmeric contains bioactive compounds with powerful medicinal properties

 

2. Turmeric dramatically increases the antioxidant capacity of the body

 

3. Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And Perhaps Even Treat) Cancer.  (Curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer.).

 

 

(information only, no sales pitch!)

 

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Although garlic can cause problems by lingering on the breath, it has been proven that consumption of even small traces of it in food will help your body burn off fat.  It makes food much tastier, especially if its used raw - though this applies with all herbs and spices.

 

Ginger is another spice that helps regulate blood sugars. It's ideal to help knock out those blips or spikes you find in glucose levels after you have eaten a meal rich in sugar or carbs. It has the same body warming (thermo-genic) qualities that cayenne and turmeric have. Try adding grated ginger into meals such as stir-fries, oven-baked fish or into tea. You will discover some interesting new tastes and it should do you a lot of good too!

 

A bright yellow spice that has been around for thousands of years, turmeric is a warming spice that actually increases body heat and so increases your metabolism. It is also thought to be helpful at many other things, such as fighting Alzheimer's disease. You can add it to heated foods such as soups, stews, roasted vegetables or nuts.

    

- a magic cure?

 

A study in 2009 in Ireland found that curcumin killed off oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory. The researchers found that curcumin started to destroy the cancer cells within 24 hours and the cells also began to digest themselves.

 

Researchers in Austria and the US in 2010 suggested that curcumin may help in the fight against liver damage. It seems to delay the onset of cirrhosis. They say their work builds on previous research which has indicated that it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which may be helpful in combating disease.

 

A small study in Thailand about five years ago found it may help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. In tyhe study, whjich was only on a small scale, the results suggested  that over a nine

month period,  a daily dose of a supplement containing curcumin, seemed to prevent new cases of type 2 diabetes among some people who were otherwise deemed to be 'at risk'. 

 

There have been many studies into curcumin's effects on both dementia and Alzheimer's disease. An Indian study about ten years ago suggested that curcumin could perhaps help block the formation of the beta-amyloid plaques.  These are the ones that slow down brain function when a patient is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. 

 

Black cumin seed oil has a long history of use as a natural health and beauty remedy. For thousands of years, across cultures it has been used to support the immune system, beautify skin, add shine to hair and maintain healthy weight. It contains essential fatty acids, unique volatile compounds, phytosterols and vitamins that are beneficial for total body health.

 

 

Turmeric is the root stalk of a plant found in the tropics that is a part of the ginger family. It is also now extensively cultivated in the UK for medicinal purposes.

 

One of the main components of the plant is a substance called curcumin which has lots of potentially healing properties.

 

You can buy fresh turmeric from many vitamin and specialist nutitional dealers, or buy the fresh curcumin from many Asian supermarkets. It's widely available in a dried powder form in supermarkets. The spice is used in lots of Asian dishes, mustards and pickles.

 

Turmeric has been used for many thousands of years in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine treating a variety of ailments, such as heartburn, diarrhoea, stomach bloating, colds, fibromyalgia and depression. Followers of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine also sometimes apply turmeric to the skin for ringworm and infected wounds as it's said to have anti-bacterial properties.

 

In more recent years there have been some studies carried out on the effects of curcumin. However, there is little reliable evidence to support the use of turmeric for health conditions because too few clinical trials have been carried out so far.