Where do "herbs" come from? (and yes, I pronounce the "h" -- the "ha" sound)

Is it a weed? Are they considered plants? I know it's something that grows in the ground and I'm not really sure of anything else. These are very common questions that I hear from both clients and people in general. So, what do you think? Is it a weed? Can you even eat them? Are they like grass or are they really some kind of plant?

Quite often, herbs are classified as plants, some weeds, some edible and some not. Herbs are sometimes cross-referenced with botanicals. Many herbs contain more nutrients than the processed foods that we consume on a daily basis. For instance, that lovely little "weed" that people hate to see come up every Spring on their lawns -- you know the one -- the Dandelion. They get out there and spray them with insecticides, doing whatever they can to kill those poor little darlings. Did you know that Dandelions actually contain more protein than lettuce? 12.3 grams of protein in Dandelions to a measly 3.8 grams in lettuce. Are you shocked? You should be. Dandelions even have 849mg of calcium vs. Lettuce with only 194mg. Dandelions also have medicinal properties that help support the liver and kidneys. You really need to know what you are doing before you start picking them and eating them. They need to be cleaned and dried for one. If you have sprayed your yard with insecticides in the past, then you may need to wait 3-5 years before you can attempt it.

One of my favorite "weeds" or herbs is Purslane. This lovely little plant/weed/herb actually contains the Omegas. So for those of you allergic to fish and don't know how to get their daily intake, you should be munching on the Purslane. It is also one of the highest amounts of iron that you can get, except for the tops of parsley, from plant-form. You will like its flavor -- hint of lemon and has a crunchy texture. There are many different species of Purslane, so choose the correct one. It's very tasty in salads as well. Since it is also getting close to the holidays, I want to tell you about Sage. Many chefs use it in their turkey recipes, especially stuffing, but a word of caution here -- I have"heard" that if you have epileptic seizures, you really need to stay away from sage. That might be one that you might want to research on your own if this applies to you.