Holiday Herbs
The holiday season is coming with known “guilty pleasures” of your favorite dishes. The pleasures do not have to be guilty if we use healthy cooking tips and include the herbs with potential health benefits
Cinnamon is a dietary supplement that is used in capsules, teas, and extracts for gastrointestinal problems, low appetite, and diabetes. The metanalysis of 10 randomized controlled studies on 547 patients the consumption of cinnamon in doses of 120 mg/day to 6 g/d for 4 to 18 weeks was associated with a statistically significant decrease in levels of fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels, and an increase in HDL-C levels; however, no significant effect on hemoglobin A1c was found.
Cinnamon supplements are safe for most people for short-term use if not taken in large amounts and no known allergy to cinnamon.
Ginger is used as a fresh or dried root, tablets, capsules, liquid extracts, and teas as a dietary supplement for nausea: after surgery, caused by motion, chemotherapy, or pregnancy; fever, sore throat, to improve digestion, reduce glucose, for rheumatoid arthritis; and osteoarthritis.
Adult doses: for dried ginger: 1 g/day, fresh ginger: 10 g/day (¼-inch slice)
Child ginger tea ½-1 cup as needed
For sore throat, 1tbs fresh root in 1 cup of water, infuse 5 min, gargle as needed
Ginger is generally safe unless hypersensitivity to it. In some people, it may cause mild abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and gas. Ginger should not be used by people with gallstones because Ginger may increase the flow of bile.
Sage leaves or their extracts are available as liquids, throat sprays, tablets, lozenges, and capsules. It has been used for sore throat, digestive problems, memory loss, and depression. More research necessary to identify the benefits for each condition.
Sage is generally safe, however, some species of sage contain thujone, which can affect the nervous system. Long term and extensive use of sage leaf or oil may result in restlessness, vomiting, vertigo, rapid heart rate, tremors, seizures, and kidney damage
Pomegranate supplements are available in capsules, extracts, teas, powders, and juice products. It has been used as a dietary supplement for wound healing, heart conditions, intestinal problems, and as a gargle for a sore throat.
It’s generally safe. Some people may be allergic to pomegranate. There is a potential reaction of pomegranate interacts with blood-thinning medicines like warfarin or drugs that work similarly in the body to warfarin.
Peppermint is used as a leaf in teas, capsules, and as a liquid extract. It also is available as an essential oil. Peppermint leaf It has been shown to improve tension headaches, common cold, and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Possible side effects of peppermint oil include allergic reactions and heartburn. The long-term safety of consuming large amounts of peppermint leaf is unknown.
Cranberry fruits and leaves were used for urinary tract infections (UTIs), stomach, and liver disorders, diabetes, and wounds healing. There’s mixed evidence on whether it can help prevent UTIs. Cranberry is not effective in treating an existing UTI and should not be recommended.
Cranberry juice, not sweet, seems to be safe, although large amounts can cause some abdominal pain and may over time increase the risk of kidney stones. Caution should be given for people who take blood-thinning medications like warfarin due to potential interaction.
KEY REFERENCES:
Website: nccih.nih.gov
Kligler B, Chaudhary S. Peppermint oil. American Family Physician. 2007;75(7):1027-1030
Ismail T, Sestili P, Akhtar S. Pomegranate peel and fruit extracts: a review of potential anti-inflammatory and anti-infective effects. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2012;143(2):397-3405.
Pomegranate. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on November 12, 2019
Sage. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on November 12, 2019
Sage leaf. In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:330-334.
Ryan JL, Heckler CE, Roscoe JA, et al. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) reduces acute chemotherapy-induced nausea: a URCC CCOP study of 576 patients. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2012;20(7):1479-1489.
Skidmore-Roth, L. (2010). Mosby’s handbook of herbs & natural supplements. Elsevier Mosby.
