The importance of herbs in the diet

Apart from enhancing the flavour of food, herbs are good for you.

From ancient times herbs had been used for medicinal and culinary purposes. In recent times both these practices have been sadly neglected. The truth is that if only a relatively small amount of fresh herbs are eaten every day, they can play an important part in the daily diet and contribute greatly towards your general health.

Herbs contain nutritional substances which are beneficial to health and can have as profound an effect on the person eating the food, as they have on the flavour and aroma of the food itself. When used to flavour food, herbs compliment and enhance the flavour of the food, making the food more enjoyable.

Digestion depends to a large extent upon the palate, the sense of smell and the enjoyment of food. Food that smells and tastes good make the saliva in the mouth begin to flow, which helps in the mastication of that food. Good food can also provide a relaxed frame of body and mind, which is also helpful to the digestion of the food.

Herbs are also employed as substitutes for ingredients that are not allowed in some diets. Celery, thyme and marjoram are used in salt-reduced or salt-free diets, often altogether replacing the need for salt. Nasturtium, savory and basil can be used as a substitute for pepper.