How To Dry Herbs
November 25, 2008 by Manuel Wiggins
Filed under Herbs
How to Dry Herbs and Retain Their Quality
Getting herbs from supermarket are not advised, since they have stored there for long time. It is advised to cultivate them in your garden and drying them personally. In this case, you will obtain the highest quality of herbs.
Considering there are many ways of drying herbs, the best of them is to dry them in absolute air. This way assists in maintaining the basic contents of herbs like natural oil. This way of drying is advised also for some herbs that have not high moisture content, such as bay, oregano and thyme.
How to Air Dry Herbs
It can cut herbs in the mid morning, as soon as confirming that the dew has dried. It must remove any insect damage or disease leaves. Herbs can put under cool water. Four or five small bundles of the herbs may be made. They may tied with string or using a band of rubber. Herbs bundles can be hanged in a ventilated place and left to be dried.
To use paper bags in drying herbs is a good method. The paper may be punched firstly. Put the small bundles of herbs into the paper bags and hang them. A couple of weeks later, you can check your herbs and see that they are dried completely.
Way of Drying Herbs with a Dehydrator
In fact the drying of herbs that include more moistures such as mint, chives or basil, will be better if a food dehydrator or freezing are used. Getting a dehydrator is a good way of drying, since it is faster and easier way. It maintains the high quality of herbs due to the controlling of temperature and air touring. Herbs may be placed after rinsing, in a layer on the dehydrator trays. Times of drying are different, according to contents of moisture, leaves’ thickness, and quantities of drying per a time. Considering that herbs may be dried as soon as leaves become crisp and stems brittle.
Best Way to Store Dried Herbs
Store herbs after having dried, is important in order to maintain their freshness. There are many methods to store herbs, such as small plastic bags or jars. It must avoid light and heat. As soon as learning the ways of drying herbs, it will be considered as the first step towards being skillful cookers.
Take a New Look at Rhodiola.
November 10, 2008 by Keith Woolley
Filed under Herbs
The army of natural anxiety and stress reducers has a new recruit, Rhodiola Rosea.
Sometimes referred to by the common name Golden Root, Rhodiola Rosea grows naturally in arctic Siberia. Eastern European and Asian cultures have used it for centuries to increase endurance, productivity, resistance to altitude sickness, and longevity and it has also been used to treat many conditions such as fatigue, depression, impotence, stomach illness, anemia, and disorders of the nervous system.
Evidence shows rodia riza has been used as medicine since first recorded many years ago. (name changed to Rhodiola Rosea) was constructed in the year 77 C. by Greek physician Dioscorides.E. it is in the ‘De Materia Medica’. Official Russian medicine has accepted the inclusion of Rhodiola Rosea since 1969.
Centuries have passed and it was only until recently that the Western world discovered the health benefits of Rhodiola Rosea. In these days it is hard not to have stress and anxiety in your life. What is amazing is that something natural like a herb can have such an effect
Rhodiola Rosea is known to be an adaptogen. What this stands to show is that it has a stabilizing effect on a person’s body without upsetting other functions. Its capability for normalizing hormones could prove successful for the treatment of conditions of depression as well as anxiety.
Studies have shown that Rhodiola Rosea stimulates the neurotransmitters and serves to enhance their affect on the brain. This incorporates the ability for your brain to ingest serotonin which can assist the body in dealing with stress.
The effect that adaptogens have on the body is being studied so that we can know it’s biological, chemical and physical stress results.
In intense mental work, Rhodiola rosea was studied intensely to see if any side affects take place. (like, for instance, final exams). Tests on the use of Rhodiola Rosea have concluded that it reduces the effects of fatigue, allowing greater mental clarity and improving the amount and quality of work.
Rhodiola Rosea’s effects on negative stress and feelings of anxiety with both physical and emotive etiologies have been tested as well. The American Botanical Council reports that the majority of those using it discover that it is beneficial for mood, amount of energy, and mental acuity. They also gave evidence about research that showed that Rhodiola Rosea could help you deal with more stress as well as shielding the brain and heart from the physical problems of stress simultaneously.
This study contained information on tests that accentuate the comprehensive health advantages of Rhodiola Rosea.
The general dosage, that should be taken, is 200 to 600 milligrams per day. Generally, those properties considered to be active should strive to be a minimum 0.three percent of rosavin and eight percent of salidroside.
For consumers it is imperative that they know Rhodiola imitations might be sold at such a mild level they are not effective strength for treatment or using another species that does not share the same properties of Rhodiola Rosea. For anyone who suffers with depression or anxiety they should contact a health professional when you are treating these types of symptoms.

