Harnessing the Power of Herbs for Health & Vitality
We unashamedly love herbs in our cooking, the more the better. Firstly, herbs are delicious. Across all cultures, they serve as flavourful contributors to the kitchen. Secondly, their inherent bioactive compounds – polyphenols - confer a range of powerful health benefits. Lastly, they are great to grow at home, with a little love and tenderness.
In this article, we will look not only at how and why herbs support health but also how best to use them to our long-term advantage. We will reference some of the science as well as terms that you might have seen in the media or have been used to market to you by the supplement industry.
Enjoy our exploration into the fascinating world of herbs and health...
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What are Herbs & Why Should We Care?
There is evidence of plants being used for health, likely for the last 50,000 years or so. Certainly, herbs have been under active cultivation, for culinary and medicinal uses, for the last few thousand years. We have had a long time to experiment with the resources around us. But, outside of the culinary realm, what makes herbs special?
Essentially herbs' positive health effects relate to chemical compounds called polyphenols. These potent compounds, found in whole foods and concentrated in herbs and spices, not only add vibrant colours and flavours to our meals but also offer a myriad of health benefits that support well-being and fight chronic illness. Polyphenols have been studied intensively for their protective roles against numerous chronic conditions, including:
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Decreasing cancer risk
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Improving vascular and heart health
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Lowering LDL cholesterol and improving triglycerides
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Reducing blood pressure
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Lowering systemic inflammation
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Improving weight management
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Lowering blood sugar
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Benefiting brain health and cognitive function
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Reducing arthritic inflammation
Perhaps you have read or heard about the health benefits of traditional diets, like the Mediterranean diet or those of centenarians living in ‘Blue Zones’? You may have seen advertising for anti-oxidant-rich ‘superfoods’ or supplements. It is often in relation to their high polyphenol content.
1. Flavonoids
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Flavonols: Sources include citrus fruits, olives, onions, kale, broccoli, apples, berries, chocolate, tea (green/black), beans, cherry, strawberries, cocoa and apples.
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Flavones: Sources include chamomile, parsley, celery, hot peppers, tea, oranges, capsicum, broccoli
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Flavanols: Sources include green tea, dark chocolate, cacao, Brussels sprouts, apples, onion, kale, leek, beans, cherries, milk thistle, red onion and acai.
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Flavanones: Sources include citrus fruits, oranges, grapes, lemons, soybeans, soy milk, miso, tempeh
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Anthocyanins: Sources include blueberries, strawberries, cherries, purple potatoes and red grapes.
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Isoflavonoids: Sources include soybean, chickpeas, beans, nuts, and pistachios.
2. Phenolic Acids
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Hydroxybenzoic Acids: Sources include berries, onions, tea and coffee.
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Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Sources include apples, berries, plums, cherries, peaches (some citrus fruits), vegetables (carrots, cabbage, eggplant, and artichoke), cereals, tea, coffee, grapes and wine.
3. Stilbenes
The best-known source is resveratrol, found in red grapes, red wine and peanuts.
4. Lignans
Abundant in flaxseeds, sesame seeds and whole grains.
Polyphenols, often aromatic, are plants’ own defensive mechanisms against harsh light, attacking bugs and fungi, and the stresses that their environments create for them. Gram for gram, herbs contain very high levels of flavonoids and phenolic acids compared to other plants and produce. Given their historic use, they are a safe and highly effective way to add health to one’s diet. Remarkably, consuming culinary doses of herbs - a handful here a teaspoon there – on a regular basis positively promotes health. This gives us every reason to add herbs to our diet.
"The science shows that eating herbs regularly positively affects health and protects against a variety of chronic illnesses."
Super food! Herbs and olives - a heart healthy, polyphenol rich dish.
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As polyphenols reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in our cells and tissues, they lower the risk of chronic diseases. They have even been found to positively affect the composition of the gut microbiome, countering obesity and promoting weight management.
However, as with any medicinal compound, more is not always better. Just because “it comes from a plant” does not mean that it is always healthy: dose matters. Over-consuming polyphenols, more than a culinary dose of herbs (or spices), can be counterproductive to one’s health. More on this later...
Polyphenols can be destroyed by cooking, so add some herbs towards the end of the cooking process for additional health and taste.
Let’s single out a variety of well-known and well-researched herbs just from one botanical family, the Lamiaceae. You might recognise them as widely used in Mediterranean cuisine.
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Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Known for its sweet and slightly peppery flavour, basil is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, particularly in Italian dishes like pesto and caprese salad. Polyphenols include rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin.
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Marjoram (Origanum majorana): Similar to oregano (below) but milder, marjoram is often used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking, especially in soups and tomato-based dishes.
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Mint (Mentha spp.): With its refreshing and cool taste, mint is widely used in both sweet and savoury dishes. Spearmint and peppermint are popular varieties, often used in beverages, desserts, and Middle Eastern dishes. Their polyphenols include rosmarinic acid, menthol, quercetin, apigenin, hesperidin.
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Oregano (Origanum vulgare): A key component of Italian and Greek cuisines, oregano offers a robust flavour and is commonly used in pasta sauces, pizzas, and grilled meats. Polyphenols include: rosmarinic acid, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, caffeic acid.
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Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): Rosemary boasts a pine-like aroma and is commonly used in roasts, stews, and bread recipes. It pairs well with meats and potatoes. Its polyphenols include rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, rosmarinol, cirsimaritin, caffeic acid.
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Sage (Salvia officinalis): Sage has a slightly peppery and savoury taste, often used in stuffing for poultry, sausages, and rich meat dishes. Its polyphenols include: rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, rutin, apigenin.
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Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Thyme has a subtle earthy flavour and is a versatile herb used in a variety of dishes, including soups, stews. Its polyphenols include: rosmarinic acid, luteolin, apigenin, thymol, quercetin.
But other families of herbs have other benefits:
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The Apiaceae family of herbs - parsley, lovage, dill and fennel - are characterised by their flavones, flavonols and furanocoumarins.
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Other botanical families include popular herbs with other phenolic profiles: bay leaves (Lauraceae), Roman camomile (Asteraceae), fenugreek (Fabaceae) and lemon verbena (Verbenaceae).
Just as in grape cultivation for wine, dependent on where and the conditions under which they are grown, herbs will have different proportions and quantities of polyphenols. Soil, light, water, and stress – all affect their levels of polyphenols. Thyme cultivated in France is subtly different from that grown in India.
This is why it is important to enjoy herbs, and foods, from a variety of sources. To receive benefit, as best one can, from as many different nutrients as possible. And once ingested, individual polyphenols do not work in isolation, they appear to work in synergy. This is one reason why nutrition science is so complex. It is very difficult to identify the benefit of a single compound in isolation when we eat ‘real’ food. There are over 8000 polyphenols, providing millions of potential combinations of chemicals that affect our health.
There is a real risk of negative side effects when polyphenols are consumed in large amounts in the form of dietary supplements or as plant extracts. These polyphenol mega doses would be impossible to achieve with normal food consumption. Supplementary intake can commonly block the absorption of iron, affect the action of other polyphenols, reduce the benefits of exercise and possibly lead to unintended consequences and interactions with medications. Note that there is no requirement for long-term testing for pharmacological doses of polyphenol supplements.
If your multivitamin has a few herbal extracts in it, that’s fine but beware of taking high doses of specific polyphenols unless advised by your doctor. A case in point, many cultures use herbs as medicine, for example, in Traditional Chinese Medicine. That requires a medical practitioner's license.
Focus on enjoying natural, whole foods, that provide a synergy of polyphenols and nutrients that promote health. This includes macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and all important fibre, to support a healthy gut microbiome. What does this mean on the plate?
"Enjoy real food, and add herbs for flavour!"
By enjoying a diverse array of polyphenol-rich foods, herbs especially, we nourish our bodies and support our well-being. Let herbs become our allies in achieving a healthier, more vibrant and tastier life.
Stay Healthy,
Alastair
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More than just taste, herbs can bring health and joy to our lives. Stay tuned for our complete collection of articles, recipes and more...
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This content is brought to you by The Whole Health Practice. Alastair Hunt (NBC-HWC) is the Founder and Chief Wellbeing Officer at The Whole Health Practice. Based in Singapore, The Whole Health Practice supports individuals and teams around the world to improve their health, performance and vitality. Want to learn more about healthy living or sign-up for regular health content? Visit www.thewholehealthpractice.com
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