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Tarragon, or Artemisia dracunculus L., is a perennial herb that is widely used for flavoring, fragrance, and medicinal purposes.
The herb has a subtle taste and pairs well with meaty dishes like fish, beef, and chicken. It is also had with asparagus, eggs, and soups. The herb is popular in French and English cooking.
Tarragon: Nutrition Facts
Being a herb, tarragon is low in calories and carbs and contains many vital nutrients that are beneficial in maintaining overall health and wellbeing.
A tablespoon (2 grams) of dried tarragon has the following nutritional profile:
Calories: 5
Carbs: 1 gram
Manganese: 7% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Iron: 3% of the RDI
Potassium: 2% of the RDI
Manganese plays a role in brain health, growth, metabolism, and the reduction of oxidative stress in your body. Tarragon fulfills 7% of RDI for manganese.
Iron is important for cell function and blood production. Iron deficiency is a major cause of anemia and can result in fatigue and weakness.
Potassium is crucial for proper heart, muscle, and nerve function and can also lower blood pressure.
Tarragon contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate. Minerals in tarragon include calcium (54.7 milligrams), iron (1.5 milligrams), magnesium (16.7 milligrams), phosphorus (15 milligrams), potassium (145 milligrams), and sodium, zinc, manganese, and selenium. However, the RDI of these nutrients is usually not covered in the amount of tarragon served in food.
Tarragon: Health Benefits
Tarragon has many vitamins and minerals that offer numerous health benefits.
1) Improves Sleep and Regulate Sleep Patterns
Insomnia has been linked to poor health outcomes and can increase your risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
These days, life is extremely stressful and busy, which is a major cause of poor quality sleep. Sleeping pills or hypnotics are often used as sleep aids, but overusage of these drugs may lead to side effects and complications, including depression or substance abuse.
Tarragon has traditionally been used as a remedy for various health conditions, including poor sleep. It has a sedative effect and can help regulate sleep patterns.
However, more research in humans is needed to confirm the benefits of tarragon in aiding sleep.
2) May Increase Appetite
Age, depression, chemotherapy, and illness are some common reasons for loss of appetite. If unaddressed, loss of appetite can lead to malnutrition and a decreased quality of life.
An imbalance in the hormones ghrelin and leptin (that play a role in energy balance) can also be responsible for a decrease in appetite.
Ghrelin is a hunger hormone while leptin is a satiety hormone.
Research in animals suggests that tarragon extracts may help increase feelings of hunger. However, these results were only found in combination with a high-fat diet. More research in humans is needed to confirm these effects.
3) Possesses Antibacterial Properties and Prevents Foodborne Illnesses
Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for food companies to use natural preservatives instead of synthetic chemicals. Plant essential oils may be able to serve this purpose.
The role of additives in food is to help add texture, prevent separation, preserve food, and inhibit bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, such as E. coli.
A study that looked at the effects of tarragon essential oil on Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli on Iranian white cheese found that the herb was successful in having an antibacterial impact on the two harmful bacteria, as compared to the placebo.
Thus, tarragon may have properties that make it a good alternative to synthetic food additives.
4) May Relieve Pain Associated With Osteoarthritis
Tarragon has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat pain since a long time.
Research suggests that tarragon extract may be helpful in reducing pain and stiffness in people suffering from osteoarthritis.
Studies in mice have also found the herb to be beneficial in the treatment of pain.
5) May Decrease Blood Sugar by Improving Insulin Sensitivity
The hormone insulin is responsible for metabolizing glucose in your body. An imbalance or insensitivity to insulin can be a major concern, and in severe cases can lead to type 2 diabetes.
An improper diet and chronic inflammation can lead to insulin resistance, resulting in elevated glucose levels.
Tarragon may be helpful in increasing insulin sensitivity and the way your body uses glucose.
Animal studies have found that tarragon extract lowered blood glucose concentrations by 20%, compared to a placebo.
Thus, tarragon may play an important role in helping decrease blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity and the way your body metabolizes glucose.
6) Protects Against Oxidative Stress
Flavonoids are antioxidants. Tarragon is high in flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, naringenin, and many more. Herb extracts of tarragon contain phenolic acids, mainly chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillic acid.
Flavonoids and antioxidants are essential for health. They fight free radicals and oxidative stress, which is the major cause of cellular damage.
7) May Help Stimulate the Thyroid
Animal studies have shown that tarragon extract may play a role in boosting thyroid health.
Thyroxine and triiodothyronine are hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland and play a role in controlling metabolism. Research has shown that tarragon may improve the thyroid hormone profile, but more research is needed to confirm this.
