The ancient Greeks already knew the chervil. The Romans used it as a food seasoning and remedy. The fact that the aromatic kitchen herb is not only a tasty spice, but also has medicinal properties, is today almost forgotten.
Occurrence and cultivation of chervil
The fact that the aromatic kitchen herb is not only a tasty spice, but also has medicinal properties, is today already almost forgotten. Chervil is an umbelliferous plant and occurs in 9 to 15 species. Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) or garden chervil is used in the form of fresh leaves as a food seasoning. The annual or perennial herbaceous plant is frost hardy. It has thin hollow branched stems and grows up to 80 centimeters tall. The alternate light green foliage leaves resemble those of parsley, but are not as soft as the latter. The elongated or ovate leaves of true chervil are usually multipinnate. Like those of wild meadow chervil, they can be eaten raw and also when cooked. In May/June, many tiny white flowers open on the double-petaled inflorescences. The chervil fruits (elongated dark brown double achenes) are formed in the fall. Those who wish to collect wild chervil for medicinal purposes should cut and dry the herb in August/September. The uninformed are best to take a professional with them to do this, as the edible varieties of chervil can easily be confused with the poisonous hemlock and sweet chervil (Spanish chervil). Kitchen chervil has a sweet taste with slight anise and parsley notes. For medicinal purposes it is used in dried form. Chervil is native to southern Russia, western Asia and southeastern Europe. Today, the versatile herb is also still found in its wild forms throughout Europe. It prefers sunny locations with slightly moist humus-rich loamy soil and grows on fallow land, in sparse forests and forest edges.
Effect and application
Chervil contains bitter substances, flavonoids, apiin, tannins, glycosides, essential oil, unsaturated fatty acids, isoanethol, chavibetol, a lot of iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and a lot of vitamin C and provitamin A. It is used internally as a tea and fresh pressed juice and externally in the form of compresses and poultices. Chervil has a hematopoietic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune-boosting, blood pressure-lowering, blood circulation-promoting, diuretic, antipyretic, expectorant, metabolism-stimulating, antiseptic, appetite-stimulating, digestive, itch-relieving and nerve-calming effect. To prepare diuretic and detoxifying chervil tea, one tablespoon of dried herb is infused with 250 milliliters of boiling water. After ten minutes, the tea is strained. The user drinks three cups a day for a period of three to four weeks, if he wants to make a spring cure with it. To make chervil brandy, the patient pours a handful of fresh chervil leaves into a wide-necked bottle and then pours it with a liter of grain. A few days later, he pours the now green liquid through a clean cotton cloth and pours it into another bottle. Chervil products are usually well tolerated. However, particularly sensitive individuals may experience gastric mucosal irritation. Pregnant women should generally not consume chervil (even as a seasoning herb). Raw chervil – if consumed fresh in large quantities – can cause photodermatitis: The furanocoumarins contained in the plant cause increased photosensitivity of the skin.
Health significance, treatment and prevention.
Chervil has a mainly detoxifying and blood purifying effect, so it is well suited for detoxification cures (liver, gall bladder, intestines, urinary tract organs). Thanks to the essential oils and bitter substances, kidneys and intestinal function are stimulated and metabolic waste products, food toxins and drug residues are eliminated from the body. Kidney inflammation is improved by the anti-inflammatory properties of chervil. In addition, its ingredients stimulate digestion, eliminating stubborn constipation and flatulence. Thanks to its high fiber content, chervil can even stop diarrhea: The fibers swell up in the intestines and thus provide more stool volume. At the same time, they bind excess cholesterol and cause a reduction in blood fat levels.Thanks to the draining properties of chervil, inflammatory substances are removed more quickly, thus alleviating infections and inflammations in the body. Water retention in the tissues decreases. Isoanethol and chavibetol, due to their expectorant properties, ensure that even stubborn bronchial mucus is loosened and coughed up. The high content of vitamin C, provitamin A and flavonoids strengthens the immune system, causes the formation of new defense cells and protects cells and organs from cell-destroying free radicals. Metabolism is stimulated, energy production in cells is increased. The unsaturated fatty acids contained in chervil, such as petroselinic acid, have a calming effect on the nerves and promote sleep, and also improve memory. Patients suffering from eczema or acne and burn victims can relieve their discomfort with chervil compresses and by dabbing with the decoction. The active substances contained in chervil then have an antiseptic and wound-healing effect and promote the formation of new skin cells in the affected area. In case of rheumatic complaints and gouty knots, compresses with the chervil decoction, which are simply placed on the painful skin area or joint, help. Insect bites are simply dabbed with a little decoction to relieve itching. In the case of chervil press-juice compresses, beta-carotene, vitamin C, flavonoids, bitter substances, essential oil, iron, magnesium and zinc have an additional wrinkle-smoothing effect. To do this, the user simply wets the affected area with the freshly squeezed chervil juice. Swollen eyelids are treated by placing the compresses on the eyes for 15 minutes. For bad breath, he chews some fresh chervil leaves.
