Organic Soul Featured Herb: Tarragon

Tarragon gets its English name from the French word esdragon, meaning ‘little dragon’.

Tarragon has a licorice-anise flavor that compliments poultry dishes, fish, meat, soups, eggs dishes, hollandaise sauce, vegetables especially (spinach and mushrooms) and salads. If you love the licorice-anise flavor, try tarragon infused drinks or add a sprig to your favorite fruit such as peaches.  The trick here is to use tarragon in moderation.  Tarragon can easily overpower any dish. It takes just a few minutes for tarragon to release their essence, so add at the end of the cooking time to avoid bitterness.

Herbal practitioners claim that tarragon can be used as a “digestive tonic” to alleviate digestive problems.  Tarragon contains enzymes that help in digesting meat and proteins. It is also said to have a gentle diuretic property that helps our system to rid of toxins that are release during the digestion of meat and other proteins.

Tarragon is also known to possess a gentle tranquilizing property.  A traditional French remedy for treating insomnia and hyperactivity, is a brewed tarragon tea. The ancient Greeks used tarragon as a treatment for toothache complaints; tarragon gets its pain-killing properties from the natural anaesthetic eugenol.

Tarragon is a good herb to plant amongst your garden, the scent and taste is disliked by many garden pests, it is also called a “nurse plant” because it aids in the growth and flavor of surrounding plants.

As with most herbs, tarragon contains phyto-nutrients that provide a wide range of health benefits, including supporting a healthy immune system.

What are your favorite uses of Tarragon?