Grow Some Herbs for Antioxidant Power

Herbs and spices, as well as taking your cooking from mundane to marvelous, are healthy sources of antioxidants. We all know that antioxidants are an essential component in our diets, helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer, degenerative diseases and inflammation.

Culinary Herbs

By growing your own organic herbs so that you have a healthy and fresh source, and by stocking up on more exotic spices, you may even double the nutritional value of your meals, according to Dr. Mercola. Herbs offer the greatest benefits in their unprocessed state, and freshly grown ones in your garden will give you the most benefit.

Another benefit of growing and using your own herbs is the fact that they are low in calories, adding a lot of flavor to your cooking as well as giving anti-inflammatory and natural antioxidant power to your food. In fact, some herbs and spices, on a weight for weight basis, outrank the antioxidant power of fruits and vegetables.

Oregano is the herb with the highest level of antioxidant power, even outdoing the highly antioxidant blueberry! One tablespoon of fresh oregano has as much antioxidant power as an apple. Marjoram, sage and thyme also rank highly as powerhouses of antioxidants. Grow these  herbs in your kitchen garden, use them often, and do your health a favor.

The Huffington Post also recently featured a handy list of herbs and spices based on their health benefits:

* Rosemary and basil for their anti-inflammatory power
* Cumin and sage for their dementia-fighting power
* Cayenne and cinnamon for their obesity-fighting power
* Coriander and cinnamon for their sugar regulating powers
* Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron for their calming effects
* Turmeric for its cancer fighting power
* Oregano for its fungus-beating power
* Garlic, mustard seed and chicory for their heart-pumping power
* Basil and thyme for their skin-saving power
* Turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, and ginger for their immune-boosting power
* Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper for their depression-busting power

So, if you haven’t already got a herb garden, or a few pots of fresh herbs on your patio or balcony, then get started today. Not sure about how to grow herbs? Sign up for my new “Herb Garden Secrets” mini course. You’ll get ten informative emails to get you going.