Supplement Sales Rise in 2009

Sales of herbal and botanical dietary supplements in the United States rose by a relatively large amount in 2009, according to data gathered from market research firms. Information Resources Inc. found that herbal supplement sales growth in the mainstream market channel in 2009 was about double that of 2008, and SPINS has reported moderate growth in botanical supplement sales in the health and natural food stores sector. Nutrition Business Journal has estimated all US herbal dietary supplement sales in 2009 at $5,030,000,000. Read more.

Herb of the Month

Hemp, Marijuana (Cannabis sativa, Cannabaceae)

Cannabis is a genus with a single species that has been grown in Asia and the Middle East for more than 4,000 years. The genus name is Greek for hemp, the word from which canvas is derived. This refers to the fibrous nature of the plant, explaining why it has been used for making rope and is currently used for making fabric items.

Marijuana may be the most demonized of all the medicinal plants but it has been used for thousands of years for migraine and other painful conditions and it appears in ancient Indian and Chinese medical texts. 

Recent studies suggest that Cannabis may control nausea and vomiting that results from chemotherapy, improve night vision, rheumatoid arthritis pain, loss of appetite and cachexia (wasting syndrome in persons not actively trying to lose weight), chronic and acute pain, spasticity, tremors, pain and bladder dysfunction associated with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, Tourette’s syndrome, epilepsy, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, and dystonia (a neurological movement disorder).

In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration accepted UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals’ application to launch Phase III trials in the U.S. on the ability of Sativex, an oro-mucosal spray derived from marijuana, to treat pain in advanced cancer patients who have not found relief through conventional opioid drugs. The National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) at the University of Mississippi is growing dozens of varieties of cannabis on a 12-acre outdoor plot.

Read the latest Cannabis sativa research in HerbMedPro...

ABC members have access to additional Cannabis resources online.

Featured Book

November's selected book excerpt comes from The Herbal Kitchen, written by Kami McBride and published in 2010 by Conari Press. This excerpt contains the book's title page, table of contents, a foreword by renowned herbalist and author Rosemary Gladstar, introduction, and Chapter 1, "Kitchen Medicine and Culinary Culture." All are available here.

©2010 Conari Press.

Herbal Recipe of the Month

Chai Spice and Tea

Here's another recipe that, like last month's, has a number of options. The main one is whether you use whole herbs for a chai tea concentrate or powdered herbs for a blend for cooking and baking. Then there is the matter of quantity - how much of each herb you use. The recipe should be adapted to your particular taste. For example, if you don't like black pepper, by all means, leave it out. Additionally, if you maintain a dairy-free diet, adapt the tea recipe by using water instead of milk and adding milk substitute as the final step to achieve that milky effect.

Directions are included for both whole spice chai for tea and powdered chai spice for cooking. The cooking blend is good in oatmeal and for adding to baked goods such as cookies, pumpkin pie, quick breads and cakes. Start by adding a teaspoon per batch and increase until you have just the right combination that pleases your palate. Once you develop a recipe adaptation that you like, you can make a gift of the recipe and a small jar of the Chai Spice to your friends who cook. The chai tea blend also makes a great gift. Just remember to include directions.

Chai concentrate for tea:

Lightly crush each of the following ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Combine and store in an airtight container in a dark cabinet if you use dried ginger. Or you can store all but the ginger and add fresh when you make the chai.

• 25 cardamom pods
• 20 whole cloves
• 15 black peppercorns
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 5 allspice berries
• 2 Tbsp. dried ginger* or add fresh ginger at time of brewing tea

*To dry ginger, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Peel and coarsely chop as much ginger as you need. It keeps well so you may want to do more than you actually need for this recipe. Spread on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it and turn it a time or two so it doesn't burn.

Making the chai:

To make a batch with the entire concentrate above, the traditional method is to simmer the spices, sweetener, and tea in the milk for at least 30 minutes. Alternately, you can simmer the spices and sweetener in the milk for 30 minutes and steep the tea in the chai for about 3 minutes once it is taken off the heat. Another option is to simmer the spices and sweetener in 4 cups water for 30 minutes, steep the tea in the finished chai and add a small amount of milk or milk substitute to taste. Whether you use milk or water, the brewed chai will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. Just add the tea when you reheat it.

• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon sweetener of your choice (optional)
• 4 teaspoons black tea

Ingredients for chai spice for cooking:

• 2 Tbsp ground cardamom seed (not the whole pod)
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1.5 Tbsp ground cloves
• 1.5 Tbsp ground ginger 
• 1 Tbsp ground allspice

Sprinkle a little of this blend on oatmeal as you would cinnamon. Experiment with baked goods that usually have one or more of the ingredients in this blend or a recipe that you like but think is a little bland. It is especially good in pumpkin pie with an added 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. It just gives the pie a little spicy surprise!

Enjoy!

HerbalGram Issue #87 Available Online

HerbalGram 87 features free articles that include Hops (Humulus lupulus): A Review of its Historic and Medicinal Uses, India Makes Grenade from World's Hottest Chili Pepper, research reviews on green tea and pelargonium and a Dear Reader column on the Journal of the American College of Cardiology's refusal to retract an error-riddled herb-drug interaction article.  

ABC members have full access to the entire Magazine online in addition to having the gorgeous 4-color, 84-page magazine mailed to them on a quarterly basis. Join ABC or learn about more membership benefits.

Check out the newest e-cards at ABC's e-card page...

ABC News and Updates:

The following are just a few of the upcoming events that you will find listed on ABC’s Event Calendar.  

December 3-4, 2010: 7th International Conference: "Functional Foods in the Prevention & Management of Metabolic Syndrome." Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA.

December 6-19, 2010: Permaculture Design Course. Buena Fortuna Botanical Gardens, La Ribera, Baja Sur, Mexico.

March 4-6, 2011: Integrative Healthcare Symposium. Hilton New York, New York, NY, USA.

More events are available here. 

HerbClip Preview:

The latest selection of HerbClips™ is now available online at the American Botanical Council website. The links below will take you to the HerbClips that are FREE to registered users.

Aged Garlic Extract Proven a Useful Adjunct Therapy to Conventional Medications in Uncontrolled Hypertension

Saffron Supplementation Improves Visual Acuity Symptoms of Early Age-related Macular Degeneration

HerbClips are available at the Academic level and above. If you would like to read more than 4,000 peer-reviewed HerbClip articles you can join online today or by calling our membership department at 512-926-4900 x 101. 

Check out the latest stories from HerbalEGram™