Herbs and Spices.

Almost any food is enhanced by the addition of fresh herbs or species. They have been used in cooking since antiquity, both as food as medicine. Ancient system of medicine in India, China, and Greece has all recommended their use. Documents dating to 1550 B.C. show that Egyptians did the same. The ancients believe that herbs and species had either a cooling or heating effect on the body and when used in combinations with foods, they could help restore the body’s natural balance. There are still many parts of the world where villagers depend upon the folk remedies made from herbs and species to treat a variety of ailments. Today, there has been a revival in their use as part of a growing interest in a healthier more natural life-style. Although there have been relatively few scientific studies that substantiate any health claims, culinary herbs, when used as a “food,” are generally considered safe.