Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Subtle Soother for Children

Family: Labiatae; (includes Mints)

Genus and Species: Satureja Hartensis (summer), S. Montana (winter)

Also known as: Bean Herb, White Thyme

Parts used: Leaves

With a spicy aroma and flavor reminiscent of thyme, savory is widely used in sausages, stuffings, soups, and bean dishes. Like other aromatic culinary herbs, savory has been used since ancient times as a cough remedy and stomach soother. But compared with its mint cousins, savory’s action is less powerful. Adults might prefer peppermint, but savory can be used safely and confidently for children’s coughs, colds, and tummy aches.

A Tale of Two Herbs

Summer savory is a low-growing annual. Winter savory is an equally diminutive perennial. Purists insist the summer herb has a sweeter, more delicate aroma; however, today most cooks and herbalists use them interchangeably. But this was not always the case-especially in the bedroom.

For reasons lost to history, the ancient Romans linked summer savory to the mythological satyrs-the lustful, halfman, half-goat creatures who threw debauched orgies in honor of Dionysus, god of wine. As a result, the Roman naturalist Pliny called summer savory an aphrodisiac and the winter herb a sex depressant. Not surprisingly, summer savory was more popular.

The Romans introduced summer savory throughout Europe, where it quickly became a popular spice Germanic tribes loved its flavor in beans and called it bean herb (fJolinendraut). To this day, Germans regard savory as an effective remedy for the downside of beans, flatulence. The Germanic Saxons who settled in Britain thought savory made every food taste, well, savory, which is how it got its English name.

Infant Colic and Childhood Ailments

By the 17th century, summer savory had shed its association .with lust. The summer and winter varieties began to be used interchangeably and called simply “savory.” Nicholas Culpeper wrote it “expels wind from the stomach and bowels and is good for asthma and other affections of the breast. Neither is there a better remedy for the colic and iliac passion [upset stomach I.” He also recommended savory as a stimulant to “quicken the dull spirits.” Externally, Culpeper touted savory poultices for sciatica and “palsied members” (paralyzed limbs).

Colonists introduced savory into North America, where it was widely used as a digestive aid and cough, cold, and diarrhea remedy, especially for children. The 19th-century Eclectics also distilled the herb’s oil and used it like clove oil to treat toothache.

Contemporary herbalists generally confine their recommendations to indigestion and diarrhea. But some still suggest summer savory as a sexual stimulant, especially for women, even though there has been no scientific research to back this up.

Savory contains an expectorant (cineole) and chemicals that soothe the digestive tract.

Digestive Aid - Although these chemicals make it appropriate as a digestive aid, scientists agree with traditional herbalists that savory is less powerful than most of the mints. Its gentler action confirms its traditional use for childhood ailments.

Rx for Savory

For an infusion to treat childhood cough, colds, and stomach upset, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes. Give up to 3 cups a day Savory tastes pleasant, like thyme, only more peppery. Adults may use 4 teaspoons of herb per cup.

In a tincture, use ½ teaspoon up to three times a day for children and 1 teaspoon for adults.

The medical literature contains no reports of harm from either summer or winter savory.

Savory is included in the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, savory is safe in amounts typically recommended.

Savory should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Savor Your Savory

Annual summer savory reaches 18 inches. It has hairy, purplish stems, narrow, lance-shaped leaves, and small white or pink flowers, which bloom from midsummer through the first frost. Winter savory is a compact, woody, perennial bush that grows to 12 inches. Its leaves are similar to those of its summer cousin, only darker green, and its flowers, which bloom from mid to late summer, are white or lavender.

Both are easy to grow from seeds or cuttings, and both grow well in containers. Summer savory grows in most moist, well-drained soils. Sow seeds no-more than 1/8 inch deep under full sun and thin seedlings to 10-inch spacing. Water frequently.

Winter savory is slower to germinate. It prefers lighter, drier soil. Do not over-water. Although it is a perennial, it may not survive New England and midwest winters. Even in warm areas it is short-lived and must be replaced every few years.

Leaves of both species may be harvested when plants reach 6 inches. When they flower, cut them near the ground, dry them, then strip the leaves. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place.