New research offers fresh hope for stress sufferers
New research from Cardiff University has revealed that a daily diet of fresh herbs can help combat a range of serious stress-related conditions, including high blood pressure, insomnia and anxiety.
Basil, chives and coriander – all essential ingredients in many of the UK's favorite dishes - were found to have particularly powerful health-boosting and calming properties.
Professor Tim Jacob, School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, comments: "Fresh herbs are full of flavonoids which are proven to assist with many different health complaints; they can actively reduce the effects of anxiety and insomnia by acting as a calming agent. Certain herbs contain compounds that can actually reduce blood pressure and other stress-induced symptoms."
The main research findings show that basil is rich in the anti-inflammatory agent eugenol, an active ingredient of clove oil, which acts as a natural anaesthetic and helps relieve pain. Its high linalool content, a naturally-occurring chemical found in many flowers and spice plants, also helps to promote sleep and calm the nervous system.
Chives can have a positive affect on the circulatory system while also helping to lower blood pressure and protect against cancer. Packed full of chemoprotective phytochemicals which have potent anti-cancer properties, along with the chemical compound organosulphides, chives help to boost levels of essential detoxifying enzymes; especially beneficial for city-dwellers who tend to be exposed to higher daily levels of pollutants from traffic emissions, cigarette smoke and industrial pollutants..
Coriander, has long been recognised in traditional folk medicine as a cure for anxiety and insomnia. In modern times this has often been dismissed as an 'old wives tale' but recent research supports the use of coriander as an anxiolytic.
In experiments in mice by the Iranian Department of Pharmacology at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Emamghoreishi M, Khasaki M, Aazam MF 2005.) - the first study of its kind to measure the effects of coriander on the central nervous system - scientists concluded that the herb does indeed have potential sedative and muscle relaxant effects, verifying its value as a treatment for anxiety-related complaints.
Although fresh herbs can't be seen as a replacement for commonly used medicines, the use of fresh herbs to treat mild anxiety or indeed to protect against high blood pressure or insomnia can be seen as an effective preventative method.
