What is an Herb?
An herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for
spiritual purposes.
"In American English "herb" is normally pronounced with the initial "h" silent, but in British English the "h" is sounded:
Uses
"Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. General usage differs
between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. In medicinal or spiritual use any of the parts of the plant might be considered
"herbs", including leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, resin, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp
or other portions of the plant."
Culinary herbs
"Culinary use of the term "herb" typically distinguishes between herbs, from the leafy green parts of a plant, and spices,
from other parts of the plant, including seeds, berries, bark, root, fruit, and even occasionally dried leaves or roots.
Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavor
rather than substance to food."
"Some culinary herbs are shrubs (such as rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis), or trees (such as Bay Laurel, Laurus nobilis) –
this contrasts with botanical herbs, which by definition cannot be woody plants. Some plants are used as both a spice and
an herb, such as dill seed and dill weed or coriander seeds and coriander leaves."
Medicinal herbs
"Plants contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. There may be some effects even when consumed in the small
levels that typify culinary "spicing", and some herbs are toxic in larger quantities. For instance, some types of herbal
extract, such as the extract of St. John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum) or of kava (Piper methysticum) can be used for
medical purposes to relieve depression and stress. However, large amounts of these herbs may lead to poisoning, and should
be used with caution. One herb-like substance, called Shilajit, may actually help lower blood glucose levels which is
especially important for those suffering from diabetes. Herbs have long been used as the basis of traditional Chinese herbal
medicine, with usage dating as far back as the first century CE."
"Some herbs are used not only for culinary and medicinal purposes, but also for recreational purposes; one such herb is
cannabis."
Religious herbs
"Herbs are used in many religions – such as in Christianity (myrrh) (Commiphora myrrha), ague root (Aletris farinosa) and
frankincense (Boswellia spp)) and in the partially Christianized Anglo-Saxon pagan Nine Herbs Charm. In Hinduism a form of
Basil called Tulsi is worshipped as a goddess for its medicinal value since the Vedic times. Many Hindus have a Tulsi plant
in front of their houses."
Botanical herbs
"In botanical usage a herb or herbaceous plant is any non-woody plant, regardless of its flavor, scent or other properties.
A botanical herb cannot therefore be a woody plant such as a tree or shrub."
I have been doing alot of extensive researches on Herbs and their uses. I have been reading books, learning online and also from cook books as well as gotten information from Friends and some older Friends..I will be making my post in smaller lessons not to overwhelm anyone with the knowledge all at one time..I hope you will find this knowledge as useful as I did in my studies and as much fun to learn. Thank you for reading this post and Blessed be to all...
