Globe artichoke / Cynara scolymus

The flower heads of globe artichoke make a tasty vegetable dish and, like the leaves, have a tonic action on the liver and digestion, stimulating appetite and detoxification. However, the leaves alone are used in medicine, with substantial evidence to prove that they lower cholesterol levels.

Turmeric / Curcuma longa

A key component of curry mixtures, turmeric’s golden-yellow color is familiar to all who eat Indian food. Turmeric root has traditionally been taken to heal allergic and inflammatory conditions and research has established that it has extensive health benefits, due in particular to its strong antioxidant activity.

Hawthorn / Crataegus spp.

Regarded by herbalists as a “food for the heart,” hawthorn is one of the most scientifically validated of all herbal medicines, exerting specific benefit on the heart. Both berries and flowering tops improve blood flow through the coronary arteries to the heart.

Pumpkin seed / Cucurbita pepo

While pumpkins are best known for pie and Halloween, its seeds offer well-established nutritional benefits. Full of high-grade essential fatty acids and trace elements, notably zinc, the seeds make an excellent food supplement.

Crataeva, Varuna / Crataeva nurvala

A key remedy for kidney, bladder, and urinary tract problems, crataeva can prove effective in conditions such as cystitis, enlarged prostate, and kidney stones.

Lily of the valley / Convallaria majalis

A slender plant with fragrant white flowers, lily of the valley acts on a weak heart to improve its functioning. A potent medicinal herb, it can have toxic effects.

Myrrh / Commiphora molmol

A bitter-tasting resin with an ancient provenance, myrrh has been esteemed as a cleansing and antiseptic remedy for many thousands of years. Used in making perfumes, it powerfully disinfects tissue with which it comes into contact.

Coleus / Coleus forskohlii

In its native India, coleus is used more as a condiment than as a medicine. Its value in health problems such as asthma and high blood pressure has resulted from recent research into the herb’s key active constituent, a potent muscle relaxant.

Coffee / Coffea arabica

It is hard to imagine life without coffee culture, but coffee drinking only took off in the West in the 18th century. Coffee’s ability to sharpen wit and mental focus, and its effectiveness as a stimulant, has guaranteed its popularity since then.

Caraway / Carum carvi

Used in food and medicine for at least 5,000 years, caraway is one of Europe’s most popular herbs. The volatile oil in the seeds gives caraway its distinctive aroma.

Gotu kola / Centella asiatica syn.

Hydrocotyle asiatica An ancient medicine, gotu kola has been in continuous use in India for at least 2,000 years. Traditionally thought to strengthen memory and concentration, in the West it is mostly used to treat chronic skin disorders and support wound healing.

Papaya, Paw paw / Carica papaya

A sweet-tasting fruit and native to tropical America, papaya while unripe contains digestive enzymes that complement the body’s own digestive juices.

Chili, Cayenne pepper / Capsicum spp.

Familiar the world over, chili comes from the Americas, and its strongly pungent flavor spices up countless dishes. The constituents responsible for the hot, sometimes fiercely hot, impact of chili when eaten are also those most involved in its many medicinal applications.

Tea / Camellia sinensis

Grown almost exclusively for use as a beverage, tea is perhaps the world’s most undervalued medicinal plant. Numerous studies point to the health-giving properties of the tea leaf, especially unfermented green or white tea. These teas contain high levels of polyphenols, which have potent antioxidant activity.

Ginseng / Panax ginseng

Ginseng has a mystique of its own, its documented use in the Far East extending back to pre-history. Taken over the centuries by kings, emperors, and popes, it has an unrivaled reputation for improving overall vitality and acting as a male tonic.