vitamins

Imagine a tree that cures almost anything that ails you. If there were ever a tree, Moringa oleifera – or drumstick tree - would be it. Referred to as the “miracle tree,” Moringa is used by Ayurveda practitioners to help prevent about 300 different diseases in patients. From the leaves to the bark, the tree can be used for medicinal purposes. Native to South Asia, Moringa is commonly used in curries and stews. It can be ground into a paste, powder, or enjoyed as a tea. It is so healthy, in fact, that it is said to be more nutritious than kale.

The Ancient Aztecs used the Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia spp.) as food and medicine. I know it doesn’t look like something you’d want to grab – or even eat – but it’s packed full of powerful properties.

While others curse its arrival in spring, I applaud it. The spunky little dandelion is a first flower for nectar-hunting honeybees. It pains me to see homeowners yank it from their yards, not only because they are eradicating an important food source for pollinating insects, but because the little plants can offer so much before their fluffy seeds are scattered to the wind!

When cold and flu season strikes Chicken Noodle Soup is usually on the menu. If you look at some of the good old-fashioned, and even more modern versions, you will see these 4 herbs. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme are all very well-known herbs used for holistic and ancient healing. Each of the herbs contains healing benefits on top of great taste. If you don’t already have these 4 herbs in your arsenal – whether it is the kitchen cabinet or the medicine cabinet – I suggest you add them! These aromatic herbs are wonderful for aromatherapy too.

You either love it – or hate it.

I stand in the group of cilantro lovers – I’m happy to pile on that peppery, parsley stunt double. But for a small percentage of the population, including the late French chef Julia Child, the flat-leafed herb tastes oddly like soap, or even bugs.

Cilantro is the Spanish term for the leaves of the coriander plant – you probably recognize coriander as a dried fruit or seed used in many ethnic dishes. The word “coriander” is believed to be derived from the Greek word “koris,” meaning “bedbug.”

The sunflower is native to North America and was cultivated by the Native Americans in approximately 3000 B.C.E. in what is now New Mexico and Arizona. The sunflower is believed to be older than corn. They developed the single flowered plant with seeds that are black, white, red and multi-colored stripes of white and black. It was a common food throughout the continent: the seed was pounded into flour for cakes, mush and bread.

Spirulina is a blue-green algae growing in fresh water and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and has many health benefits.  Spirulina has been used by the Aztec people since before the Conquistadors.

B vitamins tackle a number of different jobs, though their primary task involves boosting one’s metabolism. B vitamins ensure energy is put to good use while keeping unwanted pounds from being gained. Here are five delicious eats that remind us to “b” healthy.

Anyone who knows me – or any Vermonter for that matter – understands that I am undyingly loyal to maple syrup. It is indeed a cliché treat of the green mountain state, and for good reason. Maple syrup is delicious in too many forms: over pancakes, ice cream, fruit, in oatmeal, coffee, soups, as hard candy, soft candy, cotton candy, milkshake, you name it! But don’t get me wrong; although maple syrup is sweet, especially as candy, it is by no means the worst sweet treat you could savor.

Yeast has been used since the days of the ancient Egyptians. It is a single celled microorganism that needs the same nutrients as humans, and because it is grown on sugar-based entities that lack some of the essential nutrients, the yeast manufactures its own vitamins, minerals and amino acids using a biochemical reaction. In its active form it is used as a rising agent in breads. When heated it becomes inactive and takes two forms: brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast, both high in nutrients.