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.
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