Everyone can attest to the fact that good health is the top priority for individuals looking to enjoy their time on Earth. In the same vein, nothing comes close to a healthy diet when chasing that goal. Even the term “you are what you eat” is enough to emphasize the importance of proper feeding.
Because of the growing importance of healthy eating, more efforts have been put into screening ingredients and ensuring only the most beneficial (health-wise) are used. This has led to the incorporation of herbs into a regular diet. And while herbs may sound like ancient leaves used for traditional remedies, they continue to form a part of current meals. Herbs are so popular, they’re found everywhere including Secrets of the Tribe.
A popular herb worth looking at is rosemary. As a member of the mint family, you can expect fragrance and a savory touch to your meals. But beyond its flavor and hypnotizing scent, what exactly are you getting from rosemary?
Today, we take a look at the minty leafy spice, what it offers, and why you should consider adding it to your healthy eating routine.
A Brief Look At The Kitchen’s Unique Spice
Okay, let’s start by diving into the chef’s spice cabinet for a quick look at what rosemary is. Firstly, rosemary is a popular member of a family of spices found in the Mediterranean and sub-Himalayan regions. So the next time you’re making or eating a dish from that region, expect an aromatic tinge.
Rosemary is not just popular for its minty touch on cuisines but also as an ingredient in making bodily perfumes. But what we’re here for goes beyond the smell/taste of your food and the scent of your skin perfume; it’s time to talk about the health benefits of rosemary.
What Are the Health Benefits of Rosemary?
These are the six ways rosemary helps boost your health:
Brain Function and Health Improvement
The positive effects of rosemary on the brain and memory function have been dated as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. The major belief then was that the use of rosemary was crucial to strengthening one’s memory.
Thanks to further research, more proofs have surfaced to back this claim. It’s also established that inhaling rosemary oil will help prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. For those who don’t know what acetylcholine is, it’s the active brain chemical that aids thinking, concentration, and memory.
So it’s not just your memory that gets better, your overall brain health is positively impacted by the use of rosemary.
Eye Health and Vision Improvement
While it’s not the only thing you’ll need, rosemary is beneficial to protecting your vision and improving the health of your eyes. It contains vital compounds like rosmarinic acid that help in preventing the onset of eye-related problems.
They say prevention is better than cure so adding rosemary to your food will ensure you don’t run the risk of developing eye problems anytime soon.
Contains High Amounts Of Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Anti-Microbial Compounds
There are some harmful cells known as free radicals that invade the body and impact the immune system negatively. For this, you need to implement a diet that strengthens your immune system and helps fight against invaders.
Rosemary, thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants, is a great fit for such dietary requirements. Alongside its anti-inflammatory components, the Mediterranean herb contains carnosic and rosmarinic acids that can be useful in neutralizing those free radicals that pose a threat to the immune system.
Stress and Anxiety Relief
Another benefit of rosemary, especially its oil and tea extracts, is the natural stress relief it brings. The world is constantly throwing different problems our way and they could lead to short or long-term stress levels. The stress you go through is mostly depicted by increased pulse and cortisol levels.
However, rosemary provides a simple remedy to stress either by ingestion (tea) or inhalation (oil). Some studies have shown that individuals had their pulse rate “calmed” by merely inhaling rosemary oil.
Rosemary is indeed appreciated for its effects on cortisol levels. Remember that it’s important to have a normal cortisol level to maintain a calm state of mind.
Promotes Hair Growth
Rosemary doesn’t just help you feel good, it plays a role in ensuring you look good too. A major show of such usefulness is in its hair growth promotion. Remember, that hair loss is a common issue facing both men and women. And although it is expected with age, it’s still detested and can sometimes come too soon or be excessive.
Rosemary oil has made a name for itself as a restorative tool for your hair follicles. When you massage your scalp with it, you experience the effects of a hair growth remedy including itch-free scalp, thick hair growth, reduced attack on hair follicles, and so on. At the same time, you can combat patchy hair loss with it.
Improves Circulation and Fights Against Indigestion
Your health is also impacted by external factors like the environment and its temperature. Sometimes, it could lead to a negative impact on circulation in the body. As a result, you’re left to deal with constricted vessels and cold fingers and toes.
Rosemary, when made into an oil extract, has proven to be pretty useful in this scenario. A simple massage of the extremities using this oil helps warm up the body and improve body circulation. In other words, it can help by dilating the blood vessels to promote or restore blood flow and hence restore blood circulation.
While rosemary promotes circulation, it has the opposite effect on indigestion. It reduces the effects and presence of excess gases in the stomach. It also helps stimulate bile production which is crucial to fat digestion.
Rosemary For A Better Health
Once again, you are exactly what you eat. In the same vein, your health status is a direct reflection of your feeding habits, alongside other lifestyle factors. Either way, looking for more ways to boost your immune system and physical health is something you need to do.
Luckily, rosemary has proven good enough to make the kitchen shelves and form a part of your meals.