Six Springtime Herbs to Boost Your Energy and Restore Resilience

By Lisa Akers

by Lisa Akers

In simpler times, when supermarkets did not have a dazzling array of fruits and vegetables year-round, winter dining was much different. People subsisted on whatever they had stored and preserved during the summer and autumn harvest, which often included dried meats, breads, grains or beans, and root vegetables.

Spring herbs, sometimes called “tonics”, were the first green plants to emerge after the winter. These tender greens are full of nutrients and were a welcome addition to a bland winter menu. While most people might not have known that tonic herbs restore iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B vitamins, they did know how important it was to incorporate these green leaves in their diets.

To an herbalist, the word “tonic” describes the actions of an herb. A tonic herb is one that strengthens the system. It supports the deeper biochemical functions that invigorate and restore the body. After spending the colder, darker days indoors, adding tonic herbs back into your menu gives a burst of energy and renewed strength. Plus, fresh greens have a delightful crunchy texture that is missing from the starchy foods common in wintertime. Even without the nutritional properties, tonic herbs offer a liveliness of eating that is fresh and exciting.

Tonic herbs are incredibly flexible. They are food-like plants, which mean they can be consumed at will without concern for overdoing it. The tender leaves make a delicious salad, tea, or cooked vegetable side dish. You can also find extracts of these herbs. Dried versions can be purchased, but the fresh leaves are preferred for boosting energy and immune resilience.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that shifting a habit is easiest when your normal routine is disrupted. Springtime is certainly a time when our habits are disrupted. The warmer temperatures inspire us to get outside, we have more daylight, and we have access to different foods. It’s an ideal time to think about getting more plant-based foods into your diet. As new plant life grows in our environment, our mind naturally sees springtime as a new beginning. Take advantage of this perspective to grow a new habit this year and encourage your patients to do the same.

Here are six springtime herbs that are a delicious way to jumpstart your springtime wellness.

Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Chickweed is a low-growing plant with diamond-shaped leaves and tiny white star-shaped flowers. It’s an annual plant, but it reseeds readily for fresh growth year over year.

This plant is rich in minerals, vitamin C, and iron and is generally moistening in nature. Chickweed’s most famous function is to balance the water in the body. It restores moisture to dry tissues and relieves swelling and bloating. Chickweed can also be made into salves for topical soothing of burns, rashes, and skin irritations. It can be eaten as salad greens, cooked and eaten alone or with other green leaves, or dried and made into tea. Chickweed is an easy-to-grow plant that will grow year round in most climates. Chickweed seeds are available from Strictly Medicinal Seeds.

Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Nettle is a plant in the mint family. It’s sometimes called Stinging Nettles for the tiny formic-acid filled hairs on the aerial parts that leave a burning sensation when touched. This plant grows wild in areas along waterways, but it can also be cultivated. Be sure you wear gloves if you’re going to harvest it. The stinging is neutralized by cooking, so if you make a tea or cook the leaves, you’re safe from the tiny stingers.

Nettles are a great source of calcium, vitamin A, and magnesium. If you can’t get fresh nettles, a nettle extract is available as well. For those living in drier climates, be cautious as nettles are astringent and can make your skin and mucous membranes uncomfortably dry. For nettle hunters later in the season, eating the leaves of nettle plants that have already gone to seed can result in kidney irritation, though drinking tea made from the plant doesn’t cause this problem.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Dandelion is a much maligned plant. Countless hours and chemicals are employed in eradicating it, yet the dandelion manages to burst forth its sunshine despite the landscapers’ efforts. It’s this tenacious spirit that we receive when we add dandelion to our spring diet.

All parts of the plant are edible, albeit slightly bitter. In the springtime, the young leaves make an outstanding salad or cooked greens. The flower petals have a sweet, honey flavor and make a beautiful garnish for any meal.

Dandelion is supportive of liver and gallbladder function, and after a winter of dark skies and cold temperatures, the bright yellow flowers boost mood. The best sources of dandelion leaves are in lawns and fields where pesticides and herbicides have not been used.

A related plant called Italian Dandelion is sometimes sold in grocery stores. Also known as chicory, it has similar nutrients and effects, but isn’t a true dandelion.

Violet (Viola spp.)

Violet includes many species of cultivated flowers that are widely available. It also includes wild violets that are found in the understory of wooded areas and sometimes an invasive lawn weed.

Violets are one of the first flowering plants in the springtime and are cold-hardy. Violet is a nutritional powerhouse. With twice the vitamin A of spinach and twice the vitamin C of an orange gram for gram, it’s a great way to replenish the stores of these key nutrients.

Use the leaves in salad when they’re young and tender. Add the flowers to ice cubes for a beautiful beverage. Make hot tea from the leaves (fresh or dried) and warm up when the temperatures dip at night.

Organic plants from a local nursery are the best place to grab these plants. Once you plant them, you’ll get new ones popping up  year after year.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

Asparagus is an early spring vegetable. It’s  delicious cooked and served with many meals. It’s also a great tonic. Rich with vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin E, it’s full of dietary fiber to wake up your digestion after eating the more starchy foods common in winter.

Grab local asparagus at a farmer’s market as soon as it opens, or from a natural grocer if your markets open later in the season.

Parsley (Petrosalinum crispum)

Parsley is a plant in the carrot family. We tend to overlook this common herb in favor of more exotic remedies, but we should take a second look for springtime rejuvenation. This nutritional powerhouse should certainly be a part of your diet. An outstanding source of vitamin K and an excellent source of vitamin C, this slightly bitter herb stimulates your digestive enzyme production with your meal.

Bitter flavors naturally increase your digestive capability, which means you get more out of the food you eat. With dozens of antioxidants and flavonoids, parsley has been shown to help protect our system from environmental contaminants and oxidative stress.