4 Health Benefits of Terragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

December 19, 2023December 20, 2023 Agric4Profits

Terragon, also known as Artemisia dracunculus, has a long history of being used as a spice and medicine. The plant is a bushy, aromatic member of the Asteraceae family, and it is thought to have originated in Siberia.

The Russian and French tarragons are two popular varieties. French tarragon is grown throughout North America and Europe, primarily in France and Spain.

The leaves have an anise-like flavor and are bright green. If you’ve never tasted anise, it tastes somewhat like licorice. This herb contains 0.3 to 1.0 percent essential oil, with methyl chavicol serving as its main constituent.

It is recommended to use fresh tarragon in full leaves. Search for sprigs with vibrant, green leaves. In a plastic bag in the refrigerator, wrap it in a free-flowing, damp paper towel. This can continue for a few days.

Start by holding the stem at the tip of the fresh tarragon with your fingers, then carefully slide your fingers down the stem toward the base to remove leaves. After that, remove the stem and slice the leaves.

Although it is a readily available alternative, the dried version has a weaker flavor than the fresh one. Fresh leaves can also be frozen or dried for subsequent use.

If you decide to freeze the leaves, then wash and dry them before putting them in freezer bags or ice cube trays with a little water. Tarragon can be frozen and kept for months.

The flavor of tarragon is delicate and sweet, tasting something like anise. This is why it works well in recipes that call for eggs, shellfish, chicken, lamb, or veal. Because it frequently clashes with flavors other than lemon, it is typically the star element in a dish or marinade.

Many sauces, such as mayonnaise and Béarnaise sauce, benefit from the addition of tarragon. It is one of the four noble herbs used in fine French cookery and is used in many of the cuisine’s dishes.

The leaves of fresh tarragon can also be softly bruised and steeped in neutral white vinegar to create tarragon vinegar for dressings.

Russian and French variants are the two most popular. The best application of French tarragon is in food. The French variety is propagated through root splicing because its seeds are essentially sterile. Russian tarragon has far less flavor but is more resilient and easier to cultivate in soil with healthy seeds.

Additionally, you can take it as a supplement in a variety of forms, such as capsules, powder, tinctures, or tea.

The leaves of fresh tarragon can also be softly bruised and steeped in neutral white vinegar to create tarragon vinegar for dressings.

Additionally, you can take it as a supplement in a variety of forms, such as capsules, powder, tinctures, or tea.

Tarragon vinegar for dressings can also be made by gently bruising fresh tarragon leaves and steeping them in neutral white vinegar.

The two most common varieties are Russian and French. French tarragon is most effective when used in meals. The French variety’s seeds are largely sterile, thus root splicing is used to multiply it. While having much less flavor, Russian tarragon is hardier and simpler to grow in soil with healthy seeds.

Furthermore, it is available as a supplement in a number of forms, including capsules, powder, tinctures, and tea.

4 Health Benefits of Terragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

1. Improves Digestion

Tarragon is a great digestive aid, both as an aperitif (which helps stimulate the appetite) and for properly digesting food, as the oils in tarragon cause the body’s natural digestive fluids to be released.

It can help with all aspects of digestion, from saliva production in the mouth to gastric juice production in the stomach to peristaltic movements in the intestines.

The carotenoids in tarragon are mostly responsible for this herb’s digestive power. Researchers looked at how herbs with carotenoids affected their ability to digest food.

The intake of bioaccessible carotenoids is increased as a result of these herbs, according to the results, which also enhances intestinal health.

2. Encourages Menstruation

The herb tarragon is beneficial to certain women who have repressed their menstrual cycles. Herbalists advocate it as a way to promote menstruation and support the overall well-being of the female reproductive system.

If you’re pregnant or nursing, avoid taking too much tarragon or taking it as a supplement because there isn’t any evidence to support this claim.

A related plant, thyme, has lately been discovered to ease period pains and encourage menstruation. Many of the same characteristics are shared by tarragon, which may explain why herbalists have employed it to treat menstruation issues.

3. Remedy For Toothache

Fresh tarragon leaves have long been used as a DIY toothache treatment in traditional herbal medicine. According to legend, the ancient Greeks chewed the leaves to numb their mouths.

According to research, the plant’s high concentration of eugenol, a naturally occurring anesthetic molecule, is what causes this pain-relieving action.

The same pain-relieving eugenol can be found in clove oil, another well-liked natural toothache cure. Additionally, tarragon might aid in easing the painful gums that frequently accompany toothaches.

4. Fight Bacteria

Staphylococcus aureus, the germ that causes staph infections, and Escherichia coli are two forms of bacteria that are both well-known and extremely harmful (E.coli).

Cellulitis, boils, impetigo, food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome, and boils are a few disorders that can be brought on by the staphylococcus bacterium. Some E. coli strains can cause diarrhea, while others can cause pneumonia, respiratory infections, and other illnesses.

Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli have both been shown to be resistant to the antibacterial effects of tarragon essential oil. In addition to being able to fight harmful bacteria, tarragon essential oil also makes a great natural preservative, especially in cheese, according to a 2012 study.