Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), American philosopher, author and naturalist wrote “A man may esteem himself happy when that which is his food is also his medicine.”

What was true 150 years ago is even truer today with the typical North American diet high in processed and fast foods full of sugars and trans fatty acids that contaminate our bodies with anarchist-sounding rogues named “free radicals.” These are the leading villains in the aging process. A free radical is an atom with an unpaired electron. Like an overly aggressive suitor seeking a mate, a free radical waltzes through your body, grabbing electrons from cellular tissue and wreaking havoc like a philandering home-wrecker. Each free radical may exist for only a tiny fraction of a second, but the damage it leaves behind can be irreversible. Although some free radical activity is vital for immune function and hormone and enzyme production, too many will accelerate the aging process, suppress the immune system and be a major factor in age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. The formation of lots of free radicals stimulates the development of even more free radicals, snowballing their production and damaging genetic material.

The presence of a dangerous number of free radicals can alter the way in which the cells code genetic material. Changes in protein structure can occur as a result of errors in protein synthesis. The body’s immune system may then see this altered protein as a foreign substance and try to destroy it. The formation of mutated proteins can eventually damage the immune system and lead to leukemia and other types of cancer. In addition to damaging genetic material, free radicals can destroy the protective cell membranes. The formation of free radicals can also lead to cellular fluid retention, which contributes even more to the aging process. Calcium levels may also be affected.

According to the American Cancer Society, antioxidants make up a broad category of phytochemicals. They are commonly found in vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. These phytochemicals are thought to eliminate free radicals, which can damage a cell’s DNA and trigger some forms of cancer and other diseases. Antioxidants gobble up free radicals like voracious Pac-men. They neutralize them by binding to their free electrons.

The Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, published in 1993, investigated the effect of a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium on cancer in healthy Chinese men and women at high risk for gastric cancer. The study showed a combination of these antioxidants significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall.

Also, according to the American Dietetic Association, free radicals in your body are like rust on your car. The same oxidation damages cells and contributes to aging. Antioxidants reduce oxidation (by neutralizing the free radicals), help increase immune function and lessen the risk of infection and cancer.

Although fruits and vegetables have been traditionally regarded as the best dietary source of antioxidants, a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry revealed that common kitchen herbs have higher antioxidant activity than fruits, vegetables and some spices, including garlic. In what may be good news for pizza lovers and Italian food connoisseurs everywhere, the herbs with the highest antioxidant activity belonged to the oregano family. In general, oregano had three to 20 times higher antioxidant activity than the other herbs studied. In comparison to the antioxidant activities of a few select fruits and vegetables, the potency of oregano ranks supreme: Oregano has 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and four times more than blueberries. For example, one tablespoon of fresh oregano contains the same antioxidant activity as one medium-sized apple, according to the report. Other kitchen herbs cited in the report with powerful antioxidant qualities include oregano’s hardy cousin sweet marjoram, rose geranium, bay, dill, thyme, rosemary, and sage. I would also add one of my own favorites, calendula or pot marigold, one of the best sources of the powerful antioxidant lutein. Lutein is particularly effective in combating age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in North America. Those beautiful, yellow calendula flowers add both color and piquancy to salads, sandwiches and stews. All these herbs are undemanding in your garden – with the exception of rose geranium, a very tender perennial, which should be wintered indoors in a south-facing window – and easy to find in your local health food store, grocery store or garden center. So better health may be just a dash and a sprinkle away. People should use more herbs for flavoring instead of salt and artificial chemicals, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.With a few exceptions fresh herbs are better than dried (bay leaves are better partly dried), not only for taste, but also for antioxidant activity. Also, to retain their nutritional and antioxidant qualities and to avoid the herbs becoming bitter due to overcooking, it is recommended that the herbs be added towards the end of the cooking process. Following are three simple, but very nutritious recipes using some of the kitchen herbs cited in the USDA study.

Polenta with Oregano

• 3 cups of spring or bottled water
• 1 cup of milk (or substitute such as soy or nut milk)
• 1 Tbsp. of butter
• 1 tsp. of sea salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of polenta
• ½ red pepper, very finely diced
• ½ orange pepper, very finely diced
• ¼ cup of finely chopped broccoli, lightly steamed
• ½ cup of freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1½ Tbsp. of fresh oregano, finely chopped.

1. Bring the milk, water, butter, salt, cayenne & garlic to a boil in a pot and slowly add the polenta in a slow stream, stirring continually. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir until the moisture is absorbed and the mixture has a creamy consistency, about eight to 10 minutes.
2. Add the vegetables and cheese and continue to cook and stir for another couple of minutes. Then thoroughly blend the oregano into the mix. When it is evenly distributed, pour the polenta into a glass pie plate and allow to cool. It may be served cool or re-heated. Cut into wedges prior to serving.

Cream of Carrot Soup with Rosemary

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 12 carrots, chopped
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups of chicken, vegetable or herb bouillon
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne
• Sea salt to taste
• A few extra rosemary sprigs for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent, but not brown. Add the carrots, potato and stock and cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Then add the ginger and rosemary, allow to cool and blend in a food processor until smooth. Reheat, but don’t allow to boil while stirring in the heavy cream and adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. When serving, garnish with the extra rosemary springs.

Herbed Butter with Rose Geranium Leaves

• ½ lb. of slightly softened butter
• 1 tsp. each of fresh, chopped chives, parsley and thyme, or herbs of your choice
• ½ tsp. of fresh, chopped rose scented geranium leaves.

1. Mix the herbs into the butter and chill a little before serving.

All recipes excerpted with permission from HerbWise: growing cooking wellbeing by Bruce Burnett, published by HerbWise Inc., Ladysmith, BC

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