Experiment with these 4 springtime herbs: When the weather changes we can boost our health by tuning into the season and adjusting what we eat.
While the thick of winter calls for foods that warm you, springtime calls for more clearing, uplifting, and dispersing foods as we start to move more. Use the following 4 herbs to cook with for springtime health so you can bring your freshest face forward as the weather warms.
Nettle
Nettle is one of our favorite herbs, and it is most available in the springtime. Nettle is deeply nourishing, containing a hefty dose of iron, vitamin K, and vitamin C, and helps the bones retain calcium. It has numerous health benefits, including joint health, asthma and allergy relief, increased circulation, and more.
Take advantage of nettles in the springtime by buying fresh nettles at your local farmer’s market. If you can’t find fresh nettles, freeze dried nettle has been shown to work just as well. Cooking with nettles just as you would use any other leafy green. And don’t worry, the stinging quality is eliminated once it’s been cooked!
Dandelion
Dandelion is another herb that is most abundantly available in the springtime. With its rich bitter taste, dandelion is excellent in helping the liver detoxify winter buildup to clean your system out for a fresh start in the springtime. Rich in vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc, dandelion flowers boast strong antioxidant properties, the leaves help boost digestion, and the root improves liver and gallbladder function.
Use fresh dandelion leaves and flowers in salads, stir-fries, or sandwiches, and take a dropper full of dandelion root tincture before a meal to really take advantage of this miraculous plant.
Parsley
Bite into parsley and you taste spring. It is sweet and aromatic, with a fresh taste that can instantly harmonize you with the spring season. Just like nettle and dandelion, parsley has diuretic properties that help flush the system of waste.
It also helps digestion and reduces gas, which is why it is so readily added as a garnish. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley on soups and vegetables for a gentle and delicious springtime boost.
Rosemary
Last, but by no means least, rosemary is one of the best herbs to use in springtime. With its aromatic smell and astringent taste, rosemary is one of the best ways to consolidate and boost the momentum of spring. Rosemary stimulates digestion, reduces muscle and joint pain throughout the body, helps regulate the heart rhythm, and can even relieve headache.
Traditionally it is also used to improve memory, providing you with mental stimulation as you embark on springtime projects. Once again, using the fresh herb will garner the most benefits, but dried rosemary can also be added to dishes when the fresh herb is not available.
Ann-Marie Giglio