Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite herbs to add to salads. Parsley, cilantro and basil are regular additions to my salads as they are full of nutrients and flavour. Herbs are nutritionally dense as they are packed with phytonutrients. I suggest starting to add the following herbs to your salads to make your salads come alive!
Super Star Herbs:
Basil Is da Bomb
Basil is a beautifully fragrant herb that is very abundant in the summer but available all year round if grown in hot houses. This herb is rich in flavonoids, such as orientin and vicenin, which have been found to protect our cells and DNA as well as protect it from free radical damage. This means less aging and more vibrancy to our cells. Basil is also a microbial superstar warding off the growth of certain bacteria including E. coli and Staphylococcus.
Basil is an anti-inflammatory food due to the compound eugenol. This compound inhibits the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme which is involved in inflammation. Aspirin and ibuprofen also inhibit this enzyme. So eat your basil to put a stop to pain and avoid the pills 🙂
Powerful Parsley
Parsley is a powerful herb and should be used more often in recipes! Not only is it a great breath freshener (combating garlic breath) but it is a great detoxifying herb. Parsley is a great detoxifier and diuretic and helps to prevent water retention and bloating (yuck!) by flushing the kidneys. Parsley is also full of chlorophyll which is a blood purifier and cleanser. Parsley contains compounds that help to neutralize cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke.
As for vitamin C, parsley contains more than an orange (especially in the stems). Parsley can aid in cellulite reduction due to it’s vitamin A,C and E content, minerals and chlorophyll which help escort toxins out of the body. Toxins tend to be stored in our fat cells as they create a cushion between a toxic substance and our body. By incorporating foods that reduce toxicity we can reduce the appearance of cellulite. So start incorporating this ‘garnish’ into salad in larger amounts. The fresh flavor and health benefits are worth it!
Cilantro, Heavy Metal Chelator
Did you know that cilantro has the ability to bind to mercury in the body and escort it out of the body? Mercury is a neurological toxin that is found in seafood and metal fillings. Cilantro is also a powerful antimicrobial helping to kill Salmonella. It has also been found that people who reduce their heavy metal contamination have fewer colds and flu as bacteria and viruses like to congregate in organs high in heavy metals. So instead of passing on this delicious herb I suggest adding a bit to your green juice and salad. The flavour conjures up tastes of Thai, Mexican and Indian dishes.
I hope you all have a great thanksgiving weekend by having a large salad with these nourishing herbs.
Love + Thanks
~Michelle
holistic nutritionist.
