Easter is just around the corner. Aside from making colorful eggs, why not use some herbs for your Easter dinner. When we search for “Herbs of Easter,” the list would show – Chervil, Rosemary, Hyssop and many more. But for this post I want to feature Chervil.

Chervil is a delicate aromatic herb that adds flavor to a wide range of meat and vegetable dishes. Garden Guides said it’s a staple in French cuisine. Leaves and stems of chervil are used to add in salads,  fish, chicken, egg, potato dishes, soups and sauces. Use fresh chervil in your food because it says cooking and drying destroys its subtle flavor. You are in luck because you can have fresh chervil indoors, it can grow in shady and moist garden container. Chervil belongs to a genus that has annuals, biennials and perennials and this herb is native from Europe, North Africa and Asia.

Aside from adding flavor to our food, chervil is said to be a good source of Vitamin C and other minerals. It’s medicinal use was reported that dates back as far as the time of ancient Rome. It can be used as a cleansing expectorant.  Do you want to have soft skin? A chervil face mask might do the trick.

Chervil seed kit $19.95

How to Grow Your Own Herbs $6.16

Either you love Garlic or hate it. You love it because studies show that consuming garlic is beneficial to one’s health aside from making any fried rice so yummy! Or you hate it because it stink and it can hurt your skin. But before you give up on garlic here’s more to it than the stink.

What’s hot: Garlic is a member of the onion family. Aside from culinary uses, it has been recognized as beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Garlic has allicin that gives its rich flavor and strong aroma that is one of the most powerful antioxidant. It acts as expectorant, antibiotic and anti-fungal. It is ideal for colds, infections, circulatory and bronchial disorders. Garlic may sound too good to be true in giving all these health benefits, but a group of Chemists shed light on its health benefits. In their research study, they wanted to find out if allicin is responsible for the activity of Garlic. Why Garlic contain such efficient antioxidant properties when it doesn’t have the compounds such as flavonoids found in green tea or grapes. Here’s what they did:

“The research team questioned the ability of allicin to trap damaging radicals so effectively, and considered the possibility that a decomposition product of allicin may instead be responsible. Through experiments with synthetically-produced allicin, they found that an acid produced when the compound decomposes rapidly reacts with radicals.”

For the complete story click here. Eat raw Garlic if you want stronger antibiotic and anti-bacterial effect. But cooked or raw Garlic contains antioxidant properties. Also it can be used cosmetically in treating dandruff. A Garlic hair rinse can ease dandruff.

What’s-not-so-hot: Garlic should be taken cautiously because not all people react to it the same way. It can also irritate sensitive skin. 

For me, I love Garlic! I love it in my food especially in fried rice. I also make my own Garlic tea. My Garlic tea is made of regular Lipton tea with crushed Garlic clove. I tried this because I have a persistent allergy that makes my throat itchy. I first drank garlic tea when I was having allergy attacks and all I can say is that it helped to control the coughing attacks. Now the allergy have not come back. But I made sure I also eat a balance diet, I sleep at least 7-8 hours/day, and I take multivitamins.

Garlic galore:  garlic genius $39.99, elephant garlic seeds $2.50, garlic powder $2.99, odorless garlic capsules $10.49, garlic peeler $8.95, roasted garlic in sunflower oil $11.99

Never heard about saw palmetto until there was a rave about it that helps men with enlarged prostate. Sadly, enlarged prostate gland is now common not just in older men but men as young as in their 40’s. Nobody knew how this came about but it helps to know that there are alternative ways aside from the common drugs to shrink enlarged prostate glands.

About the plant: Saw palmetto is a garden ornament as a ‘”fan palm.” Its a tropical looking palm that is hardy, drought-resistant and the only species in its genus Serenoa. It is native in the southeastern part of the U.S., especially in Florida. Its scientific name honors the American Botanist Sereno Watson who initially made a detailed description of plants in North America.

What I discovered: The palm-looking saw palmetto bear fruits and from these fruits extracted remedies used for various conditions. Saw palmetto extracts have properties such as diuretic, antiseptic, expectorant, sedative, tonic and warming. The fruits were discovered high in fatty acids and  cholesterol-lowering (phytosterols). Saw palmetto is considered a body-builder – boosting the important mucous membranes in good condition to keep the reproductive, respiratory and digestive systems healthy. This plant is not just for men but for women as well.

I bet you are curious how saw palmetto became a natural “sex pill,” here it is folks, it is said that it acts in the body’s hormonal system, aside from prostate-related problems (specifically benign prostatic hyperplasia) but as well as loss of libido and impotence. Maybe, its the “warming” properties of saw palmetto that makes it happen but nobody knows for sure. But there were stories that Native Americans in the southeast use the fruit of saw palmetto to treat impotence, testicular problems, poor lactation, female infertility, painful menstruation, tender breasts and low libido.

What’s hot: Saw palmetto extracts boasts in affecting the endocrine system, especially its action on prostate gland and for libido. Maintains healthy tissues and mucous membranes of the body, treat cystitis, uterine inflammation, poor lactation, colds, asthma.

What’s not-so-hot: If you don’t want to take saw palmetto supplements and want to go natural by eating saw palmetto fruits, go ahead, its edible but they said its unpleasant tasting. And that is if you can grow this herbal plant in your garden. If you live in temperate countries you can always have a greenhouse. Who knows? You might get lucky growing this interesting plant.

Photo source: Kalyx, Art.com