Herb

For other uses, see Herb (disambiguation).

Basil, a common culinary 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.

Pronunciation

In American English the initial "h" is normally silent: /ˈɜrb/. In standard British English the "h" is pronounced: /ˈhɜːb/ Also see American and British English pronunciation differences.

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 and fruit. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavor rather than substance to food.

Many culinary herbs are perennials such as thyme or lavender, while others are biennials such as parsley or annuals like basil, and some 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 a herb, such as dill seed and dill weed or coriander seeds and coriander leaves. Also, there are some herbs such as those in the mint family that are used for culinary purposes as well as medicinal.

Medicinal herbs

Main article: Herbalism

Plants contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. Throughout history, from the Bible, Koran, Siddhar poems of Tamils,Vedas and other old texts, the medicinal benefits of herbs are quoted.

There may be some effects 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 toxic overload that may involve complications, some of a serious nature, 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 and far before.

Medicinal use of herbs in Western cultures has its roots in the Hippocratic (Greek City State era) elemental healing system, based on a 4-fold elements healing metaphor. Famous herbalist of the Western tradition include Aviicenna (Persian), Galen (Roman), Paracelsus (German Swiss), Culpepper (English) and the botanically inclined Eclectic physicians of 19th century/early 20th century America (King, Scudder, the Lloyd brothers). Modern pharmaceuticals had their origins in crude herbal medicines, and to this day, many drugs are still extracted as fractionate/isolate compounds from raw herbs and then purified to meet pharmaceutical standards.

Some herbs are used not only for culinary and medicinal purposes, but also for psychoactive and/or recreational purposes; one such herb is cannabis.

Herbs as food products ingredients

Herbs, such as Irish Moss (Chondus crispus) and Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) are used extensively in many common foods found on grocery shelves. Irish Moss is subjected to a rendering-purifying-bleaching process to produce carrageenan that is used as a bulking and thickening agent in dairy products, beverages and many sauces. Arrowroot, with its high starch content and expansive quality when added to water, is used extensively in bakery products, especially as a non-gluten replacement ingredient for gluten sensitive individuals.

Sacred herbs

Main article: Sacred herbs

Herbs are used in many religions. For example, myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) and frankincense (Boswellia spp) in Christianity, the Nine Herbs Charm in Anglo-Saxon paganism, the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) by the Tamils, holy basil or tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in Hinduism, and many Rastafarians consider cannabis (Cannabis sp) to be a holy plant. Siberian Shamans also used herbs for spiritual purposes. Plants may be used to induce spiritual experiences for rites of passage, such as vision quests in some Native Americann cultures. The Cherokee Native Americans use sage and cedar for spiritual cleansing and smudging.

Pest control

Main article: Pest control

Herbs are also known amongst gardeners to be useful for pest control. Mint, spearmint, peppermint, and pennyroyal are a few of such herbs. These herbs when planted around a house's foundation can help keep unwanted critters away such as flies, mice, ants, fleas, moth and tick amongst others. They are not known to be harmful or dangerous to children or pets, or any of the house's fixtures .

Botanical herbs

Main article: Herbaceous plant

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.

See also

• List of plants used as medicine
• Herb chopper
• Herbaceous plant
• Pot herb
• Apothecary
• Herbalism
• Herb garden
• The Herb Society of America
• International Herb Association
• List of herbs and spices
• Remedy
• Prehistoric medicine
• Strewing herb