The medicinal value of raw honey – honey that has been transferred from the hive to the honey jar without processing – has been known across the world for centuries. This sweet food, which some researchers have nicknamed “liquid gold,” is omniscient in ancient Indian, Egyptian, and Western medicine. It was used as an ointment for rashes and burns, to help soothe throats, to energize people during long travels, or as a culinary aid that…
The taproot of the beet plant has a long history of use as a medicine. The ancient Romans, for example, would consume beets to treat fevers and constipation. In the Middle Ages, Europeans would turn to these red-colored roots to remedy illnesses related to blood and digestion. And ancient Chinese medicine, which has always held cooling and sweet vegetables in high regard, still prescribes beets for individuals suffering from cardiovascular conditions. Like many colorful vegetables,…
Many nutritionists consider the avocado, which is native to the region stretching from the central highlands of Mexico to the Pacific Coast of Central America, to be one of the healthiest fruits in the world. This is because, unlike most other fruits, these green-skinned, single-seeded berries are rich in beneficial fats that are proven to boost our health in countless ways. However, avocados are also bursting with many other nutrients lacking in the Western diet,…
The banana plant is a herbaceous, flowering plant indigenous to the tropical regions of India, northern Australia, and Southeast Asia. Its fruits, which are recognized by their crescent shape, yellow skins and sweet tastes, are one of the oldest crops cultivated by mankind and remain the most popular fruit consumed in the United States. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture claims that Americans eat more than 10 pounds of bananas per person every…
Few herbs have received as much praise throughout history as ginger, the rhizome of the Zingiber officinale plant. Testimonials of ginger’s significant medicinal properties have been recorded as far back as ancient Greece, though it was also mentioned in the ancient literature of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The ancient healing systems of China and India particularly venerated ginger, and often prescribed it to treat fatigue, poor blood circulation, and nausea. Ginger remains the…
