Top 5 Herbs Used in Herbal Medicine That You Can Incorporate Into Your Diet — Scientifically proven
1. Raw Garlic
Garlic contains high levels of sulphur and important nutrients, such as allicin, oligosaccharides, selenium and flavonoids. You can either cook garlic or take it raw. People take garlic as capsule or ad it to their foods.
Garlic has a lot of health benefits such as fighting cardiovascular diseases, fighting fungal, improving hair loss, relieve allergies, boosting the immune system, treating diabetes, regulating blood pressure, fighting viral infection and inflammation among others.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals the ability of garlic in increasing antioxidants status and reducing cholesterol.
2. Ginger
Ginger is a dietary condiment and the most widely used one in the world today. It also has some therapeutic benefits, which come from the oily resin present in the root and known as gingerols.
This gingerols act as an anti-inflammatory agent and a highly potent antioxidant. Along with this Gingerol, ginger also has other bioactive agents that have the ability to relieve nausea and indigestion.
Apart from these, ginger can fight fungal and bacterial infections, reduce pain, treat stomach ulcer, improve diabetes condition, and boosts the respiratory function and immune system among others. Ginger can as well stop the growth of cancer cells.
A 2013 study in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, the functional ingredients in ginger that have the ability to combat cancer as the paradols, shogaol, gingerols.
It was further discovered by scientists that ginger has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that are capable of controlling the process of aging.
You can make tea with ginger. You can also eat it raw or taken in supplement or power form.
3. Turmeric
The medicinal use of this turmeric plant dates back to almost 4,000 years. This conventional medicine has now started acknowledging the importance of this plant as supported by over 3,000 publications about this herb.
Turmeric is a powerful plant that can be taken as supplement or added to any recipe. Turmeric has a lot of health benefits, which includes preventing and slowing down blood clotting.
This plant can also fight depression, fight cancer, regulate arthritis pain, manage diabetes, regulate cholesterol, reduce inflammation and treat gastrointestinal issues.
Many researches show that turmeric has potent antimicrobial, antioxidant, antimutagenic, anit-inflamoatory and anticancer properties.
The antioxidant property in turmeric extracts can inhibit lipid peroxidation and free radicals. This plant can as well help to increase antioxidant enzymes.
4. Ginseng
Almost everybody knows about ginseng. It is one of the most popular herbs in the world. Ginseng has been used in North America and Asia. The root is being used by Native Americans as a remedy for headache and a stimulant.
Ginseng is also popularly used for the treatment of indigestion, fever and infertility. According to a research by the Brain Performance and Nutrition Research Centre in the United Kingdom, it was discovered that ginseng was able to improve mental function and mood.
The research was conducted to gather information about the benefits of this root. Ginseng is very effective in the treatment erectile dysfunction, lowering the levels of blood sugar, reducing stress, improving lung function, reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system.
Studies also indicated that ginseng is a useful tool for weight loss, and some weight loss programs such as 60 Day Fix diet System also include some of this herbs. Ginseng is available in tablet, powered and capsule form. It is also taken as tea by others.
5. Aloe Vera
In traditional medicine in places like India, Aloe Vera is being used treating infections, skin disease, constipation, worm infestation, infections and also use as a natural solution for colic. In traditional Chinese medicine, Aloe Vera is used for the treatment of fungal diseases. This use of this herb in cosmetics, food industries, and pharmaceutical has spread widely in the Western world. Around 75 active components have been discovered in this plant. The Aloe Vera plant gives 20 of the 22 amino acids required by the body and also all the 8 of the body’s essential amino acids.
Several studies have proven the antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe Vera. The plant is good in building up the immune system. The benefits of aloe vera include its ability to treat cold sores and burns; soothe skin irritations and rashes; moisturize the scalp, hair and skin, reduce inflammation and provide antioxidants. Aloe Vera can be used orally and topically.