There are as many types of herbs as there are types of herbal remedies. How do we choose the right types of herbs? How can we establish safe plants? Many plants contain poisons, some are not evil that easily kill a person. There are four major classes of herbs, and digesting them will make it easier to remember: nourishing, toning, relaxing, strengthening.
All types of herbs are considered to be the safest. These plants contain very few alkaloids, essential oils, resin or glycosides. These types of herbs are often eaten in foods or made into vinegar. Even if they are safe and simple to eat with a meal or in a meal that is not important to serve, these contain a huge amount of nutrients: vitamins, minerals, proteins, phytosterols, phytoestrogens, simple and complex sugars, almonds. carotenes, essential fatty acids and bioflavonoids.
Examples of these types of plants are:
Burdock Root
Chickweed Herb
Comfrey leaves
Mushrooms
Seaweed
Oatstraw
Toning herbs should be used sparingly. These types of herbs all contain alkaloids and essential oils, but not in dangerous quantities. it would hurt Herbal remedies made with these types of herbs have more power than the next. These can be used over time, but not every day.
Examples of these types of plants are:
Chasteberry
APHACA
Echinacea
Motherwort
Ginseng
Hawthorn Berries
The third type of herbs are “relaxing/sedating” and these are almost always essential oils alkaloids and contain resins. Herbal remedies with these causes the body’s strongest reactions. These types of herbs are commonly prepared as tinctures, teas, vinegars and infusions. They can also be used in actual cooking and tend to make soups taste more vivid in a way of expression
Examples of these herbs are:
Catnip
lavender
wise
Lemon Balm
Cinnamon bark
Kava Kava
Strong or potentially poisonous types of herbs will always have alkaloids and will always have resins in them. These things not only contain, but often cause the body to fail either directly or indirectly. This is often due to damage to the liver and kidneys.
Examples of these herbs are:
Cotton Root
Belladonna
Absinthe
Beaver Beans
Goldenseal
Liferoot
Some potentially poisonous herbs are belladonna, castor bean, cayenne, cotton root, golden seed, vital root, nutmeg root, poke root, leaves and flowers, and wormwood.
Sources:
Clement, Anna Maria and Svetlana Konnikova Mama’s Home Remedies: Time-Tested Natural Secrets of Good Health and Pleasure Living 2008
Jospehson, Laura A Homeopathic Manual of Natural Remedies: Safe and Effective Treatment of Common Illnesses and Injuries 2002
