(courtesy of www.veer.com)
Sore throat - Ginger, licorice, marshmallow, slippery elmColds & Flu - Astragalus, echinaeca, elderberry, ginger, rose hips.
Indigestion- Cardamom, chamomile, fennel, licorice, peppermint.
Insomnia - Chamomile, hops, lavender, lemon balm,passionflower, skullcap, valerian.
Stress - Catnip, chamomile, kava, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, skullcap
Energy - ginseng, yerba mate.
Once so prized it was used as currency, pepper is the world's most popular spice and kicks up flavor in all types of food. Pepper berries grow like grapes in clusters on the piper nigrum vine. Always grind whole peppercorns for superior taste and pungency; they keep for about a year when stored in a cool, dry place. I have listed exotic common varieties.
- Javanese comet's tail- also called cubeb. Grind over grilled meats or cheese plate selections. These Q shaped peppercorns taste similar to black pepper but have a slightly sweeter aroma.
- Szechuan- grown on the prickly ash tree in the Chinese province these are not related to black peppercorns. They intensify the flavor of vegetables or poultry dishes due to their pungent woody flavor.
- Green- Due to their milder flavor and heat, these are well suited for fish, egg dishes, cream sauces and spiced butter.
- Pink- As berries of the Baise rose these are not true peppercorns. Goes well with lettuce salads, goat cheese and fruit salads because of their color, sweet-spice and slightly citrusy heat.
- Balinese long pepper- these look like mini pinecones and have earthy hints of nutmeg and cardamom. Snap it in two and add it to soups or sauces for a floral note.
The next time you get a physical you may want to ask your doctor about the CRP(C-reactive protein) blood test. This assesses heart disease risk. CRP accompanies inflamation. When CRP remains high and low- grade inflamation becomes constant and untreated, it weakens the immune system per PHD professor S. Koutoubi of Bastyr University in Kenmore Washington. Typically a reading of 2.4 or greater means a higher risk of heart problems. So you may want to take measures to reduce the risk like:lowering omega 6's and increasing omega 3's, reducing red meat, avoiding high heat baked or fried foods, and handing stress.
[This information is from Delicious Living Magazine.]
Another excellent post. Pepper is great for the digestive system and some say the 'heat' will keep a cold virus at bay.
ReplyDeleteso many benefits of tea - and yet I'm not "big on it" - maybe loaded up with sugar or honey - or might that negate all the goodness?? BTW, load no. 6 today and all is coming out well :D
ReplyDeletehi dale, very informative post, for me the best and the most effective cold medicine is a hot decoction made of pepper, ginger, crushed coriander, indian holy basil and some jaggery for sweetness. its great!!
ReplyDeleteto answer your question on my post: what you get in a sikh temple (gurdwara) has got to be wholewheat halwa, in India gurdwaras serve this halwa cooked in ghee as a prasada/prasadam (sacred food, that you’ve share with your diety). each state and religious institution in India has its own special prasada. For eg. down south some temples have a mixture of coconut and jaggery, in another temple a savoury mix of cooked red beans and black tea is prasada, elsewhere deep fried rice flour and jaggery dumplings are holy food. I’ll put up the recipe of the gurdwara halwa as soon as I can, its really yum!