You might already be preparing your meals with a variety of herbs thanks to the flavourful boost they give many dishes.
However, did you know that herbs are also associated with a number of health benefits?
If you are not already incorporating herbs into your diet, here are a few reasons why you might want to start.
Herbs help you eat better.
When you use herbs in your meal preparation, you are giving that food a flavour boost, which means you are most likely using less salt. As you know, an excessive amount of salt in your diet is not good. If you are cooking with herbs, it also means you are most likely preparing the food yourself, which is better than eating something from a package.
Herbs are low in calories.
Like most plant-based foods, herbs are low in calories, which makes them a great addition to your diet, especially if you want to lose weight or keep it off. If you use herbs to add flavour to your food, you are not really impacting the caloric value of that food like you would if you added butter, for example.
Herbs are anti-microbial.
This means that herbs help fight off harmful germs and bacteria thanks to the high levels of polyphenols they contain. Polyphenols are chemical compounds found in plants; oregano and dill are two herbs that are particularly high in these compounds.
Herbs are anti-inflammatory.
Like many spices you might already be using, herbs are also anti-inflammatory. Did you know that chronic inflammation could lead to arthritis, heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease? Those polyphenols we mentioned earlier are also the reason why herbs are anti-inflammatory.
Herbs contain lots of antioxidants.
Berries and other “super” fruits are not the only foods that are rich in antioxidants; herbs also boast this quality. Once again, polyphenols can be identified as the root cause of why herbs are so good for us. The antioxidants in herbs come from those polyphenols and work in our bodies to fight free radicals, which can lead to a variety of cancers, inflammation, and other chronic diseases.
If you are not already cooking with fresh herbs, it is time to start thinking about changing your cooking habits. The benefits of herbs are astounding, so be sure to include them in your diet from now on.