Herbs & Botanicals

Spearmint (Mentha spicata): Digestion, PCOS Research, Cognition & Safety
Spearmint is a carvone-rich culinary and medicinal mint with a long digestive tradition and several human trials, including research on androgen levels in women with PCOS and standardized extracts for memory and attention. This guide separates ordinary tea from concentrated extracts and essential oil. Read more...
Shiso / Perilla (Perilla frutescens): Culinary Uses, Traditional Medicine, Research & Safety
Shiso is a culinary variety of Perilla frutescens, not a completely separate species. This guide separates shiso leaves from perilla seed oil and concentrated extracts, reviews East Asian food and herbal traditions, human allergy research, omega-3-rich seed oil, and the often-misunderstood livestock toxicity issue. Read more...
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris): Traditional Use, Research, Wound History & Safety
Self-heal, also called heal-all, all-heal and Xia Ku Cao, is a widespread perennial mint-family herb with a centuries-long wound, throat, food and traditional medicine history. This guide separates folklore from current human evidence, including a recent randomized trial, while keeping antiviral and anticancer laboratory findings in their proper context. Read more...
Savory (Satureja hortensis & Satureja montana): Traditional Use, Research, Safety & Culinary Uses
Savory is not one single plant. Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and winter savory (Satureja montana) are closely related culinary and traditional medicinal herbs with different growth habits, flavor profiles, and chemistry. This guide separates food use from concentrated extracts and essential-oil research, and reviews what human evidence actually exists. Read more...