One day, I’ll be an old lady with ‘plants’

While others opted for companionships of animal-pets, I’ve opted for plants, specifically herbs. Not only are herbs easy to take care (no walking or picking up excrement needed) and fuss-free (water every other day), they also provide instant rewards — you can cook, brew tea and even make flavored syrup with them.

In terms of investment and return, they are worth the bucks. Kids on the other hand, call for 20+years of nurturing, and even after college (hefty tuition), they may still loiter around the house (see New York Times “Boomerang Kids Won’t Leave“).

But herbs, oh my goodness, I can’t sing enough of their praises. Consider your options: thyme, sage, basil, lavender… and within each category there are more than one variety. Take mint for example, within the group there are more than 20 species.

Starting an indoor herb garden (image credit: www.3girlsholistic.com)

Peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, lemon mint (lemon verbena, lemon balm), etc. They are an wonderful addition to tea, simply soak a few leaves in hot water. In fact, I’ve taken to keeping a pot of peppermint next to my work desk. Whenever I feel tired,  I’d pick a few leaves, chew and wait for the refreshing menthol taste to break.

And here are a few facts you may not have known about  herbs:

  • What’s the difference between herbs and spices? The former comes from the leaves of plants, and the latter comes from other parts like roots, stems, barks and seeds.
  • Fresh herbs are high on antioxidant, and can decrease the risks of getting cancer or heart disease.
  • Fresh herbs also helps with digestion, especially with breaking down fat.
  • The Romans believed eating mint will increase intelligence (score, already do).

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