Three Magic Herbs - A must have for your Body

Being a foody, I always need to be extra cautious about nutrition and health issues. A portion of healthy food is balanced with nutritional properties & taste. Here herbs play a pivotal role. These succulent leaves add flavors, tastes, and colors to your platter. We all know about coriander, cilantro, mint, parsley, sage, etc. and they are very famous among chefs & foodies. But there are some magic herbs, which are not so popular yet have exceptional medicinal value to keep us healthy. Too much adulteration, pollution, and unhealthy foods gradually taking a toll on our health and that's another reason to look for magic herbs to keep my family strong. Today I will share with you some of my secrets for a healthy lifestyle.

Indian Pennywort or Thankuni

Centella Asiatica, commonly known as Gotu Kola, Thankuni, Indian pennywort, Asiatic pennywort or Mandookparni, is an herbaceous, frost-tender perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and wetland regions of the Southeastern US. It is used as a culinary vegetable and also as a medicinal herb. In Myanmar, Bangkok, Srilanka, India this herb is used as a salad leaf, cold rolls, etc. They mix it along with other ingredients like shallots, lime juice, bean sprouts, and coconuts. Some make juice and chatni also with this aquatic herb. Some people cook the leaves with lentils, pumpkin or use it even in fish curry. But, one thing to remember, the herb is neither cooked with too much of spices nor overcooked. People prefer to eat it raw because of its natural medicinal properties. It is recommended in the Ayurveda that, the leaf has antioxidant properties along with amino acid beta carotene fatty acid and phytochemicals. Therefore, it helps to clean your guts, make your skin glow, re-boot your digestive system. It is advised to take as raw in early morning empty stomach or any time of the day but not at all spicy. So let's start bringing some Centella.

Tulsi or Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Study says, there are 50 to 150 varieties of basil but not all of them are in use either in cuisine or as a medicinal plant. Basil is an aromatic perennial herb and belongs to the mint family. Basil is native to tropical regions from South East Asia to Central Africa. Mainly two varieties are in use widely -- Sweet basil and Holy basil. We can see wide use of sweet basil leaves in Italian cuisine and also in Thai, Indonesia & Vietnamese cuisine. In diet, it provides sweetness, earthy flavor, nutrients and works as antioxidant property. It is enriched with vitamin K and calcium. Holy basil is being cultivated for traditional and medicinal uses. Even its essential oil is also very much sought after. It is often called as Tulsi or Tulasi. In the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia, it is widely used for therapeutic purposes. Traditional uses include natural remedies for common cold and cough, snakebites and also act as preventive medicine in some cancer cases. Even modern medicines have also acknowledged the medicinal properties of Tulsi.

Ocimum gratissimum

Neem

A very popular medicinal herb Neem comes from the Neem tree. Neem tree belongs to the Mehgony family and grows in tropical &sub tropical zone. It is native to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Srilanka, Myanmar, and Malaysia. It can reach up to 50-115 feet and it is evergreen. Neem has been an integral part of Ayurveda for over two millennia. It is used as antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic and sometimes as contraceptive & sedative also. Earlier days, its twigs were being used as datum or natural toothbrushes. Even today also, many people use it for tooth-related problems. In season change, its leaves are used as antifungal and antibacterial remedies. Neem oil is used in lotion, soap, shampoo, and other cosmetic products. Neem is useful for damaging over 500 types of insects, mites, ticks, and nematodes, by changing the way they grow and act. Neem is one of a kind tree whose every part has medicinal properties. People chew raw neem leaves, use them in cooked dishes. Its flower and fruits are also been used in some delicacies, though it has a bitter taste. So next time, if you find a neem tree, grab some leaves, wash them and then either chew or rub them against your skin-- either way it’s good for health.

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