Epazote Herb

What is epazote herb?

Cooking uses both the fresh leaves and tender stems of the herb epazote, pronounced eh-pah-ZOH-teh. The epazote plant can grow up to 4 feet tall and has many leaves. It can be an annual or a short-lived perennial. Its dark green, long, slender, jagged leaves end at a point. The small, green flowers produce many tiny seeds. As an herb, it fits into gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and vegetarian diets. In central and southern Mexico and Guatemala, the herb epazote is often used in cooking and traditional medicine. Epazote smells and tastes strong, so not everyone likes it at first. It takes a while to get used to the taste, but it gives many dishes a wonderful, rustic flavor. If fresh epazote is not available, you can use dried epazote instead. The herb is best in the winter, but you can get it all year.

How to use epazote herb?

Epazote leaves, like sage, can be sautéed and sprinkled on salads, meats, and cheeses to impart additional texture. It is acceptable to garnish raw epazote stems with finely minced stems; however, do so sparingly, as their flavor has the potential to overpower a dish.

Epazote herb benefits:

Epazote is one of the healthy and beautiful herbs grown in many places around the world. It offers many health benefits. The scientific world refers to epazote as Chenopodium ambrosioides. It is a chenopodium, which is in the family Amaranthaceae. People think that this wonderful herb comes from Central America, but it is now grown all over the world for both personal and commercial use.

◉ May Promote Weight Loss: 100 grams of epazote have only 32 calories, but they is full of vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds that your body needs. So, if you want to lose weight, stay healthy, and feel full, this plant with lots of fiber and nutrients is a great choice!

◉ May Improve Bone Health: Because epazote contains many different minerals, it can help protect your bones as you get older. High levels of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese help build bone mineral density and prevent osteoporosis. This means that your bones will stay strong and healthy well into your later years.

◉ May Help Improve Blood Pressure and Heart Health:  Potassium is one of the most important minerals in our bodies and is often overlooked. The small amounts of potassium that may be in epazote can act as vasodilators, relaxing the blood vessels and easing the strain on our cardiovascular system. Such action makes it less likely that we will get atherosclerosis, which protects us from heart attacks and strokes.

◉ May Boost Immunity: This herb is crucial for the immune system because it may have small amounts of vitamin A, as well as other carotenes and antioxidant compounds. The antioxidant properties of epazote may shield the skin from free radical damage and prevent free radicals from causing long-lasting diseases.

Where can I buy epazote herb? 

Buy epazote herb from the health food store in the USA, Alive Herbals.

Epazote herb information (at a glance):