Tarragon is an aromatic herb that usually used as a seasoning in traditional French cooking. The herb which is also known as Artemisia dracunculus contains a lot of beneficial nutrients. It makes this herb is no longer for seasoning only but also, it is used as medicinal herb recently. Based on USDA National Nutrient Data Base, 1 cup (100g) dried Tarragon leaves contains nutrients as follow:
Nutrition Facts
| % RDA | ||
| Energy | 295 Kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 50.22 g | 38% |
| Protein | 22.77 g | 40% |
| Total Fat | 7.24 g | 24% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 7.4 g | 19% |
| Phytosterols | 81 mg | |
| Water | 7.7 g | |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 2955 mg | |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 742 mg | |
| Folates | 274 µg | 68.5% |
| Niacin | 8.950 mg | 56% |
| Pyridoxine | 2.410 mg | 185% |
| Riboflavin | 1.339 mg | 103% |
| Thiamin | 0.251 mg | 21% |
| Vitamin A | 4200 IU | 140% |
| Vitamin C | 50.0 mg | 83% |
| Sodium | 62 mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 3020 mg | 64% |
| Calcium | 1139 mg | 114% |
| Copper | 0.677 mg | 75% |
| Iron | 32.30 mg | 403% |
| Magnesium | 347 mg | 87% |
| Manganese | 7.967 mg | 346% |
| Zinc | 3.90 mg | 35% |
| Phosphorus | 313 mg | |
| Selenium | 4.4 mcg |
All of those nutrients content bring the health benefits of Tarragon Leaves for the healthy body. They are:
- Fight the free radical inside the body.
Tarragon leaves contain antioxidant that help to fight free radicals in the body. It will protect your body from any diseases.
- Prevent the growth of cancer cells.
Because of its antioxidant contain, Tarragon leaves have the capability to prevent the growth of cancer cells. It can happen through its mechanism fighting against free radicals in the body.
- Keep your healthy heart.
Tarragon leaves can protect your heart from heart disease. The anti-inflammatory effect of antioxidant keeps your vessels from any damages. Tarragon leaves contain also potassium mineral which plays the important role to regulate the heart contraction.
- Lower blood sugar level in diabetic patients.
Tarragon leaves are rich in dietary fiber which can distribute the calorie into all organs in the body. This mechanism can lower the blood sugar level in the diabetic patients.
- Prevent anemia.
Tarragon leaves contain iron mineral which is important to form red blood cells that contain hemoglobin. It is also supported by vitamin C that helps the iron absorption. It makes Tarragon leaves can prevent anemia.
- Protect the intestinal mucosa.
The zinc contained in Tarragon leaves has the function to protect the intestinal mucosa. It helps to repair the intestinal mucosa if there are any damages such as in diarrhea case.
- Prevent the muscle cramp.
Tarragon leaves contain magnesium as a muscle relaxant. It will prevent the incidence of muscle cramp that may happen.
- Keep the healthy bone.
Tarragon leaves are rich in calcium and phosphorous. These minerals are essential for the bone formation and keep the bone stay strength.
- Strengthen the teeth.
The calcium and phosphorous contained in Tarragon leaves can also help to strengthen the teeth through their specific mechanism.
- Enhance your immune system.
Tarragon leaves are rich in vitamin C which helps to build the antibody system. It will enhance your immune system to fight against any bacteria or viruses that may come.
- Reduce the inflammation symptoms.
The antioxidant in tarragon leaves has the mechanism in inflammation activity. It can reduce the inflammation symptom such as swelling or redness in the inflammation area. It is supported also by its omega-3 fatty acid content that has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Keep the healthy eyes.
Tarragon leaves are rich in vitamin A which keeps the healthy eyes. This vitamin can improve your visual acuity and protect your eyes from degenerative eye diseases such as cataract.
- Help to reduce neuropathy symptoms.
Tarragon leaves contain vitamin B12 that involve in neurological function. It protects the neuron from any damages and help to reduce neuropathy symptoms such as tingling or numbness.
- Act as the natural diuretic.
Tarragon leaves act as the natural diuretic that can remove the waste product out of the body. This mechanism happens via urinating so it will keep the water balancing in the body as well.
- Reduce a toothache.
Tarragon leaves can reduce the tooth pain due to the presence of eugenol. This substance has a pain relieving effect in a toothache. You can chew the Tarragon leaves or drink them as herbal tea to get this health benefit.
- Reduce the insomnia symptom.
Tarragon leaves have the sedative effect which can be used to relieve the insomnia symptom.
- Help to relieve anxiety.
The sedative effect in Tarragon leaves has also the capability to relieve anxiety. It will relax your brain from any stresses so it can reduce the anxiety symptoms.
- Improve the cognitive function.
Vitamin B6 which is contained in Tarragon leaves plays the important role in the central nervous system. It protects the brain function and improves the cognitive function. You will stay away from dementia if you consume this amazing herb.
- Reduce the body odor.
As explained above, tarragon is an aromatic herb. It has essential oil which can help to reduce the body odor and fight the bad breath such as estragole, cineol, ocimene, and phellandrene. You can make your own deodorant with this aromatic herb.
- Help to reduce anorexia symptom.
Tarragon leaves can increase your appetite by sending the signal to the brain to stimulate the appetite. You can eat tarragon leaves to reduce the anorexia symptom that may occur.
- Improve the function of digestive system.
Tarragon leaves stimulate the liver to secrete the bile. It helps to increase the digestive function naturally and help to reduce the digestive problems such as indigestion, upset stomach, or irritable bowel syndromes.
- Prevent heart ischemic disease.
There is a phytochemical within Tarragon leaves that can prevent the accumulation of the platelet so the plaque won’t happen. It will protect the heart from the ischemic disease.
- Prevent constipation.
The dietary fiber in tarragon leaves can help to prevent constipation. This fiber helps to digest the food well so it will be easily removed out of the body.
- Help to build the muscle mass.
Tarragon leaves help to build the muscle mass by increasing the creatine absorption. This absorption is supported by the carbohydrate intakes as well.
- Relieve the premenstrual syndrome.
Besides as toothache remedy, the eugenol compound in Tarragon leaves can reduce the dysmenorrheal (menstruation pain). It is supported also by the magnesium mineral that can relax the muscle.
- Keep the healthy organs.
Tarragon leaves are rich in potassium, an important mineral that can keep the wellness of the organs such as the heart, liver, and kidney.
- Maintain the normal blood pressure level.
There are phytochemicals in tarragon leaves which can maintain the normal blood pressure level by preventing the plaque formation in the vessels. It is supported also by the function of potassium to maintain the good contraction of the heart.
- Relieve the stress condition.
As an aromatic herb, tarragon leaves are widely used in aromatherapy sessions to relieve the stress condition and make the comfort and calm atmosphere.
- Act as the detoxification agent.
Tarragon leaves are rich in vitamin C and antioxidant which have the mechanism to detoxify the toxin out of the body. You can get this health benefit of Tarragon leaves by drinking a cup of tarragon leaves regularly every morning.
- Maintain the healthy hair.
The extract of Tarragon leaves has been proven can boost the quality of the hair. You can use the extract of Tarragon leaves as your natural shampoo to maintain your beauty and healthy hair.
30 great health benefits of Tarragon leaves have been explained above. You can use this beneficial herb in various ways depend on your needs. You can chew this herb directly, make them as seasoning or dish, make a cup of tea from this herb, or you can also apply it to your body area as a deodorant, shampoo, and soap.