OPOPONAX (SWEET MYRRH) - INCENSE CHOICE OF ANCIENT KINGS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF OPOPONAX

OPOPONAX, SWEET MYRRH, OPOPONAX CHIRONIUM 

The name opoponax comes from the ancient Greek, opos meaning vegetable juice and panax meaning a panacea or cure-all. The plant, Opoponax chironium, is native to the southern Mediterranean regions and also grows in parts of Africa, such as Somalia and Kenya, as well as in Iran. The botanical name chironium means that it was associated with Chiron the centaur who, in Greek mythology, was the first medical practitioner who was given healing herbs such as centaury by Artemis the goddess of hunting. It is also known as Sweet myrrh and Bisabol myrrh, although these terms are not necessarily related to Opoponax chironium as there are several varieties.

  Opoponax is a member of the Umbelliferae plant family and as such is related to fennel, carrots, angelica, hemlock, lovage and cow parsley among others. The oleo resin extracted from cuts in the base of the stems of this plant is used in the perfume industry and has been used as incense for centuries. It is one of those Biblical resins along with balm of Gilead, True myrrh, frankincense and used along with cinnamon and cassia for its aroma. The smell of the fresh juice which is dried to form the resin is not very pleasant, but King Solomon seemed to believe that it was the best incense available to him.

  The aroma is said to be reminiscent of lavender and to have a balsamic tinge to it. It has been used for centuries in the perfume industry and James Joyce, the early twentieth century novelist was familiar with it as Leopold Bloom, his main character in the epic tome “Ulysses” recognized it as an ingredient of his wife, Molly’s perfume. It also makes an appearance in Thomas Pynchon’s later work, “Against the Day” where “Plug” Loafsley’s club is said to smell of it combined with bodily smells and vervain. It makes an appearance in other novels, but these two novelists clearly knew exactly what it was, as opposed to Stephen King, who uses it rather nonsensically in one or two of his books. No doubt it is a name to conjure with, but if you use it you really should know what it is, I think.

 In times past, opoponax was used to unblock obstructions in the body in the organs and in the uterus, so was used as an emmenagogue. It was also used to cure fits of hysterics, as the aroma has a soothing effect which is said to open us up to our spiritual side. For centuries it was used to protect against evil of all kinds, and was used to cleanse and purify the spirit. It has been used to treat respiratory problems, and as an anti-spasmodic. Now, however its chief use is in the perfume industry and as incense. It is good combined with other spicy sweet smelling things such as rose, star anise, vanilla, amber, cloves, juniper, spikenard and patchouli among other things. You need about 10 grains of the resin for a potent smell. It is calming and worth smelling, even if you only try it once!

BASTARD BALM - A HERB WITH MANY TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USES: HISTORY AND POSSIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BASTARD BALM

BASTARD BALM, MELITTIS MELISSOPHYLLUM

Bastard balm clearly doesn’t care about the slur on its lineage, as it looks as though it is poking its tongue out at the world. It has orchid-like flowers which may be completely white or pink or a combination of these colours. It is very rare in Britain today, although it can be found in parts of Devon. It is a protected species, although it is much more common in mainland Europe. It can also be found in Turkey. The plant smells of new-mown hay as does sweet woodruff, because of the coumarins present in the leaves.

  It has been used traditionally in a number of European countries for a variety of aliments.

  The ancient physicians of Myddfai used it in combination with other herbs for fevers: -

“The mugwort, madder, meadow sweet, milfoil, hemp, red cabbage, and the tutsan, all these seven herbs enter into the composition of the medicine required. Whosoever obtains them all, will not languish long from a wounded lung, or need fear for his life. Any of the following herbs may be added thereto, butcher's broom, agrimony, tutsan, dwarf elder, amphibious persicaria, centaury, round birth wort, field scabious, pepper mint, daisy, knap weed, roots of the red nettle, crake berry, St.John's wort, privet, wood betony, the roots of the yellow goat's beard, heath, water avens, woodruff, leaves of the earth nut, agrimony, wormwood, the bastard balm, small burdock, and the orpine.”

They also employed it in this way, although clearly there were white and pink bastard balms in Mid-Wales at the time as this remedy calls for the “reddish” variety.

“A woman who is subject to profuse menstruation, should take the reddish bastard balm, small burdock, orpine, stinking goose foot, pimpernel, water avens, with the ashes of a hart's horns, that has been killed with his antlers on, boiling them, as well as possible in red wine, straining the liquor carefully, and drinking it daily, till it is finished, abstaining (the while) from stimulating food. Being restrained by the above means, the blood will be habitually diverted to the thighs and ankles.”

  In Italy a tea or tisane is made with it and the infusion is used as a remedy for eye inflammation. The tisane is said to have anti-spasmodic properties which could be why the Physicians of Myddfai used it in the remedy above.

  A decoction is made to get rid of kidney stones with a handful each of couch grass (Agropyron repens) which most people detest because it grows on lawns, bastard balm and the common mallow (Malva sylvestris). The whole plant of each is used including the root; these should be shopped and put in a pan with 1½ litres of water, brought to the boil and simmered for 15 minutes. The liquid will be the same colour as tea. This should be drunk over three days to get rid of kidney stones, but be warned- if you drink this your urine will be dark and tea-coloured for the first two days, but will then return to normal when the kidneys have been flushed out thoroughly.

  There have been clinical trials on this plant and some have found that it is liver protective and helps heal liver damage in vitro, although coumarins are supposed to damage the liver in large doses. A study conducted by Biljana Kaurinovic et al., published in “Molecules” Vol. 16 (pp 3152-67) on 14^th April 2011, “Antioxidant Activities of Melittis melissophyllum” states that the essential oil from the leaves has been used for its sedative, narcotic, antifungal, antibacterial and antifungal effects and that it is a muscle relaxant and spasmolytic. The leaves contain the flavonoids kaempferol, apigenin and luteolin among others. Extracts from the leaves showed antioxidant activities in vitro in this study. Another study suggests that the plant can reduce inflammation, although these are studies which have not been replicated yet.

  Traditionally the plant has been used as a diuretic, blood purifier, astringent, for wound healing, and as a sedative. It may be that further clinical trials will verify at least some of the traditional uses of the bastard balm.

TOADFLAX - BITTER HERB: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOADFLAX

TOADFLAX, LINARIA VULGARIS

Toadflax is rather like a snapdragon or Antyrrhinum and this common toadflax is yellow, but there are also different coloured varieties, including a blue one. Toadflax gets its name because its leaves are similar to those of flax, and toad might refer to its wide mouth or the old belief that young toads sheltered under these flowers. The Latin botanical name Linaria also refers to flax as the Greek for that plant is linon, hence Linaria. Vulgaris means common and this yellow toadflax is very common in Europe, including Britain, and in Western Asia. It was introduced into North America, perhaps mixed with grain seeds, and is now classes as a noxious weed in several states. It is a member of the Scrophulariaceae or figwort family, whose members are used for skin problems.

  Historically toadflax was used for liver and gall bladder complaints, including obstructions of the latter and jaundice. An infusion of the whole herb can also be made for skin problems and it can act as a detergent to clean wounds. In Germany a yellow dye used to be obtained from the flowers of this plant. These bloom from June or July (depending on where they grow) and continue until October. The flowers are close-lipped until a bee forces them open to get at the nectar deep inside the flower. The under lip is orange, which gives rise to the common name for this plant, Butter and Eggs.

  The English herbalist, John Gerard, writing in the 16^th century, likened toadflax to larkspur and snapdragons and wrote that an infusion was used externally as it “taketh away yellowness and deformities of the skinne.” Infusions are made with 1 ounce of the whole herb to a pint of boiling water and then the plant is left to steep for a couple of hours then the liquid can be strained and applied externally. The tisane made from this plant is extremely bitter and may be toxic; the taste gave it the name Gallwort as it was said to be as ‘bitter as gall’.

  You can harvest the whole herb just as it comes into flower and either use it fresh or dry it for later use. It can be chopped and boiled in lard to make an ointment for piles and skin problems and it is said that if it is steeped and boiled in milk and the concoction is placed where a lot of flies gather, it will kill them. So it is useful if you are bothered by flies. The whole herb can be warmed and used as a poultice for piles too.

  Traditionally the distilled water of this plant has been used to reduce inflammation of the eyes, but whether this is considered advisable now is another matter. The plant should not be given to pregnant women either because of its toxicity. It has been used for its diuretic qualities in cases of oedema and is a powerful laxative, although not as strong as jamalgota (Croton tiglium). The leaves and flowers have been used in decoctions combined with quinine, cinnamon and Peruvian bark (which comes from the Chinona species of trees as does quinine) in cases of jaundice in former times.

   In 1742 a five-spurred yellow toadflax flower was found on the Stockholm Archipelago and on investigating it, Karl Linnaeus, the Father of Botany, deemed it to be like a monster and called it “Peloria” which is ancient Greek for “monster”. This is an example of a natural mutation and was perhaps named monster because of this plant’s association with the poor toad which doesn’t have very good PR officers.

  There have been few clinical trials on toadflax, but some suggest that it has powerful antioxidant properties and it is known to contain vasicine, which is used for its bronchodilatory and mucolytic properties. It may be liver protective but this has not yet been conclusively proved.

NONI FRUIT - POSSIBLY AMAZING: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF NONI FRUIT

NONI, INDIAN MULBERRY, MORINDA CITRIFOLIA

Noni fruit has been used for medicine, as has the rest of the tree, in the Polynesian islands for more than 2,000 years, and with such a long history of use, it has to be safe for human consumption, although on some islands it is used for animal feed. One can see why it got the name Indian Mulberry as at first sight, if you don’t think of the size of the fruit, it looks like a white mulberry. The trees grow to between 4 and 16 metres high.

M. citrifolia var. potteri

  There are different varieties of noni trees and one has white and green leaves; this one is Morinda citrifolia var potteri and grows on Hawaii. There are many myths about the efficacy of the Morinda citrifolia trees and the one which illustrates the potency noni is thought to have comes from Tonga. The myth says that the leaves from the tree were placed on the corpse of the god Maui and he was restored to life.

  Traditionally the fruit has been used for a variety of purposes, the unripe green fruit is crushed and applied to sores and herpes scabs around the mouth, and mashed it is used as a gargle for sore throats. Crushed unripe fruit is also used to heal peeling skin and chaps on the hands and feet, and to get rid of parasites around old wounds as well as for oral problems including toothache; it is also used as a stimulant for the appetite and brain. It may also be used in poultices which are applied to boils, rheumatic joints and chests of TB sufferers as well as to sprains and to bring out discolouration after deep bruising. The oil from the seeds is used for stomach ulcers. Juice from the fruit is used to cleanse badly infected cuts.

  The trunk of the tree is used for canoe parts and paddles, as well as handles for axes and other implements, as well as for firewood and for the red-purple dye which can be extracted from the bark. A decoction of the bark is used in cases of jaundice. At one time scientists feared that the anthraquinones in the fruit might cause liver damage, but this was subsequently proved not to be the case.

  The infusion of the flowers is used to get rid of sties around the eyes, while the thick roots are used for carvings and to produce a yellow dye. The dyes obtained from the tree are used in batik.

  The leaves have been used as food for silk worms, and in cooking to wrap and flavour meat. They are also good for animal fodder and are placed on the head to cure headaches, burns and fevers. They are also made into a tisane or tea, and scientists agree that they are safe for human consumption.

  The unripe fruit has also been used to stop menstrual cramps and is used as an emmenagogue and de-obstructant on some islands. Oil which can be extracted from the bark was once used to get rid of head lice and other insects in the hair.

  The fruit is used as a famine food mainly although it is a staple in some diets. In South-East Asia it is eaten raw with salt as it is by the Aborigines in Australia. In some places it is cooked and eaten in curry sauces. It is a bitter tasting fruit even when ripe.

  Captain James Cook recorded seeing the fruit being eaten raw in Tahiti during his voyages in the 18^th century. Since then the world of Complementary and Alternative medicine has attempted to show that the fruit and juice of this tree has amazing health benefits, claiming variously that it can help in the treatment of addictions, ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorders), AIDS, various cancers, jet lag and so on. None of these claims have been proven however. It is also claimed that the fruit and parts of the tree have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, that it can help reduce high blood pressure and reduce stress, cure chronic fatigue, and enhance the functioning of the immune system. Many of these claims have been made by the manufacturers of noni juice.

  The facts are that some new substances have been found in the tree and these are under investigation. The USFDA does not approve the use of noni for any diseases and does not recognize its effectiveness.

  Noni juice contains about half the vitamin C of a navel orange, vitamin B3 (niacin), has a lot of the minerals potassium, iron and calcium; contains rutin, which is also found in rue and which is known to have medicinal benefits, linoleic acid, and other fatty acids, amino acids, flavonoids, beta-sitosterol, carotene, catechin and alkaloids among other things. It is a member of the Rubiaceae family of plants which makes it a relation of Kadamb, cleavers, coffee, cinchonca, and a distant relation of sweet woodruff, madder and yellow bedstraw.

  It is possible that noni and the Morinda trees have amazing medicinal benefits for us, but be wary of any claims made about products from it now, as they have not been substantiated.

  

IRISH MOSS (CARRAGEEN) - HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES

IRISH MOSS, CARRAGEEN, CHONDRUS CRISPUS

In fact Irish moss isn’t a moss but a seaweed, like laverbread. It gets its name from a place Carrageen in south east Ireland, and in Irish Gaelic its name is carraigin which means “moss of the rock”- so it became Irish moss. Like other algae it is full of nutrients and has been eaten in Ireland since at least 400 AD. It helped the Irish in times of famine and was discovered by Irish immigrants on the coast of Canada, so it has a long history of use on both sides of the Atlantic. It grows on rocks as far south as Portugal in Europe and is used extensively in the food industry.

  However it is also a herbal remedy for coughs, colds and bronchial complaints as a tisane. The same tisane can be used for skin complaints as it is an anti-inflammatory. It has demulcent and emollient properties and soothes irritated skin, so is useful for complaints such as eczema. A preparation of the seaweed as a gel can help to prevent STDs and is a microbicide in vitro against the herpes simplex virus and others.

  Like other algae, Irish Moss is full of health-giving nutrients and is a good source of iodine, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and other minerals as well as containing some B-complex vitamins and vitamin A.

  There have been some concerns regarding the use of carrageen, but it is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, at least the kind used in the food industry has this rating. It is used like agar agar (another algae) as a vegetarian thickening and gelling agent in ice cream yoghurt, jellies, chocolate products and dairy products as well as in processed meats as a fat substitute.

  Research is still ongoing into the properties of this alga which is eaten traditionally by the Irish with potatoes or cabbage.

HOW TO MAKE TASTY CRISPY CHIPS OR FRENCH FRIES

TASTY CRISPY CHIPS OR FRENCH FRIES

If you have wondered how chefs make their chips so crispy and tasty, here is their secret.

Ingredients

½ kilo potatoes, sliced into chips

3 tbsps white vinegar

1 tsp salt

oregano and freshly ground black pepper to taste

oil for deep-frying

Method

In a bowl mix the salt and white vinegar in cold water and leave to soak for half an hour.

Drain off the water and dry the chips on absorbent paper.

Heat the oil and drop the chips into it carefully.

Fry until the chips float and become crunchy.

Remove the chips and allow to drain and dry on absorbent paper.

Sprinkle black pepper and oregano over the chips and salt if desired.

Serve immediately.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

PEPPERMINT - HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES: PEPPERMINT- CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES RECIPE

PEPPERMINT, MENTHA X PIPERITA

Although Pliny writes about peppermint adorning heads and tables during feasts in Ancient Greece and Rome, this might not have been the herb we know as peppermint. The ancients used it for food and to flavour wine, and it is thought that the ancient Egyptians may have cultivated. It is a member of the mint family or Labiatae or Lamiaceae family and is in fact a cross between Mentha aquatica (water mint) and Mentha spicata (garden mint). It was first recognized as a separate species in Britain in 1676, but its medicinal qualities were soon made known and it got into the London Pharmacopoeia in 1721. There are in fact two types of this mint, Mentha vulgaris or black peppermint and Mentha officinalis, white mint. It is certainly native to Britain and also to other parts of the world as this hybrid is the result of natural cross breeding.

   It was used as a strewing herb because it is loathsome to rats and mice and repels insects, making it useful in times when hygiene was not as it is in most countries now. It is used to make medicine more palatable for children and in oral hygiene product such as mouth wash. It is also found in chest rubs, as the essential oil of peppermint contains menthol. It is used both in the pharmaceutical industry and the food industry and also in the perfume industry. The essential oil found in the leaves has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

  An ointment made from peppermint cools and soothes irritated skin, and the herb is useful in cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Peppermint tea can be made from the chopped herb wither dry or fresh and this relieves flatulence and colic and aids digestion. It is a good tisane to use if you have eaten a lot, especially after over-indulging in a Thanksgiving meal or any other of our traditional winter festivals. Peppermint widens the blood vessels and so reduces blood pressure, and the tea was once used for heart palpitations and for hysteria and nervous problems.

  The leaves contain vitamins A and C as well as vitamin B 2, riboflavin, and also the minerals iron, copper, potassium, calcium and magnesium, along with folate and dietary fibre.

  The tisane can help promote sweating and warm the body, and is said to get rid of colds within two days. For the tisane you need an ounce of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water leaves it to steep for 15 minutes and to this you can add both milk and sugar or honey as you would in black tea. Equal amounts of peppermint, yarrow and elder flowers can also be made into a tea for digestive purposes, while for nervous disorders, peppermint and wood betony can be mixed in equal amounts. For insomnia a traditional remedy, to drink just before going to bed is 1 oz of finely chopped peppermint, ½ an ounce or rue and ½ an ounce of wood betony. Pour boiling water over a heaped tablespoon of these herbs in a cup and leaves for 20 mins, then strain and drink warm.

  However I love the taste of peppermint chocolate truffles and here is one of my favourite winter recipes. They are good to finish off a celebratory meal.

PEPPERMINT - CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Ingredients

1 cup roughly chopped peppermint leaves

1 cup double cream

14 oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

2 lbs white chocolate, broken into small pieces

Method

You don’t need the white chocolate until the day after you have made the dark chocolate and peppermint filling.

Start with the cream and mint leaves, and combine them in a saucepan and bring the cream to just below simmering point.

Turn off the heat and leaves for 30 minutes so that the mint is infused into the cream. Strain the cream and squeeze all of it off the mint leaves before discarding them.

Gently reheat the cream to just below a simmer and strain this onto the chopped dark chocolate which you have put into a heat-proof bowl. Allow to settle for 1 or 2 minutes then gently stir so that the cream melts the chocolate. If this doesn’t happen completely, put the bowl over a pan of just simmering water and stir until all the chocolate lumps have melted.

Pour the filling into a small bowl and when cool cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, the mixture will be firm, Melt the white chocolate gently and with a melon baller scoop out the mint and dark chocolate filling.

Make the filling round by rubbing it between your palms and using a thin skewer or fork dip the ball in the melted white chocolate and place on a tray covered with grease-proof paper or parchment paper for cooking. Do this until the filling is used up and refrigerate until the chocolate has set.

Put the truffles in an airtight container and store in the fridge until needed.

These have Taste and really are a Treat.