Category Archives: Weight loss
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a delicate, inconspicuous herb that you find growing about the shady parts of the garden amongst the other weeds. It is the colour of grass with small, white, star-shaped flowers and slender green stems. The whole plant can be used fresh in a salad together with other greens from the garden such as dandelion, sow thistle and sheep sorrel.
(more…)Whether eaten as a vegetable or taken in the form of a herbal tincture, kelp is nourishing to the body. Kelp is rich in many minerals particularly iodine, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, zinc and copper because these minerals are available to the growing weed from the sea, just like other nutritious sea vegetables (nori, kombu, dulse, wakame). While low in protein and fats, kelp has plenty of fibre and good levels of important vitamins (A, B2, B12, C, D, E, K).1
(more…)The avocado tree (Persea americana) originated from Latin America where it has been cultivated since around 500 BC . The tree can reach a height of 10-20 metres and there are cultivars available to suit different climates such as Bacon, Fuerte, Hass and Reed. The fruit is a large berry with a single seed, providing a valuable source of nutrients for poor people subsisting in countries such as Mexico.
(more…)Chili (Capsicum annuum) is a small plant of about one metre height, with lush green leaves and angular branches that bear white flowers followed by purple, red or yellow fruit. Chili has been cultivated in South America for thousands of years and was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his voyages to the New World in the 15th century. He introduced it to Europe before Portuguese and Spanish traders took this new spice to India and Asia, where it has since become an integral part of the cuisine. Despite its heat, chili is a nutritious fruit containing vitamins A and C, β-carotene, magnesium, potassium and iron.
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