When people first study herbalism, they often learn simple associations: peppermint contains menthol, turmeric contains curcumin, or ashwagandha contains withanolides. It can quickly sound as though every medicinal plant has one special chemical responsible for everything the herb does. Modern herbal education is more complicated-and much more interesting. The term active constituents generally refers to … Read more
Have you ever looked at a green plant in a garden and wondered whether it was mint, basil, oregano, or simply a weed? At first, many herbs can look surprisingly similar. Once you know what details to examine, however, plant identification becomes much easier. Learning how to identify common herbs by leaves, flowers, and stems … Read more
Imagine opening your kitchen cupboard and finding chamomile, ginger, peppermint, turmeric, or garlic. Most people think of these plants as ingredients for tea or cooking, but plants have also been used in health traditions for thousands of years. That is where herbalism comes in. Herbalism is the practice of using plants and plant-based preparations to … Read more