What You Should Know About Lavender
When you hear the word lavender, what comes to mind? A pretty pale purple color or maybe an aromatic smell comes to mind when you think of the word lavender. There’s more to lavender than what you may know. Lavender is actually a plant. Lavender is edible. For example, lavender syrup can be added to beverages for flavoring. Lavender, the plant, offers so many aging benefits to the body. But to understand how powerful and how great this plant is, one must understand what is lavender and where does it come from.
Lavender is part of a genus of forty-seven different species. Lavender is a flowering plant that is apart of the mint family. Lavender has a long history and traces back to the Old World. Lavender can be found in many parts of the world including Europe, Africa, parts of Asia, Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Typically, lavender is cultivated in a temperate climate. Often times lavender is cultivated for commercial uses for landscaping and gardens. Cultivation allows for the use of culinary herbs and essential oils to be extracted from the plant. Lavandula angustifolia is the most common type of lavender that is cultivated. The color lavender gets its name from this particular type of lavender.
Lavender is a lot of times grown for an economic reason. Lavender is grown for the production of its oil. Lavender oil has many benefits and can be applied to the skin. Lavender oil is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It can be used as a natural way to repel mosquitos. In addition, the oil from the lavender plant can also be used for cosmetic and bath products. English lavender is very popular for cosmetic products because of its smell. It is commonly used in cosmetics, perfumes, balms, and salves. Dutch lavender also has a unique smell but has a louder overtone. Lavandins are oftentimes cultivated for commercial and cosmetic use as well. Lavandins are easier to harvest, but its oil is usually made of a lesser quality than English lavender oil. If you are interested in purchasing these products, you can check out different farms that are manufacturers of lavender, and run wild with the variety of products they make using lavender!
Lavender is great for use on the skin. Lavender oil is good for the skin because it is anti-fungal. It is good for getting rid of scars. It promotes healing of the skin. It also helps with stimulating the circulatory system. Rashes, bug bites, acne, and scars can all be treated with lavender oil.
Culinary lavender is used for cooking. It is very easy to get culinary lavender. There are so many ways you can add culinary lavender to your diet. Using lavender in your recipes will add great flavor plus health benefits. A sweet and sometimes citrus flavor can come from flavoring food with lavender. Want a diffuser that is unique, then check out Organic Aromas.
Lavender can be used for many different types of beverages. From cocktails to lemonades to sodas, lavender can be added to all of these delicious beverages. It’s summer and a great summer treat is ice cream. Have you ever thought about trying lavender ice cream? You can make homemade ice cream. Add lavender to the recipe. This will give the ice cream a great sweet and minty flavor. Plus, it will give vanilla ice cream a pretty purplish hue. If you are into smoothies, make a lavender smoothie. Lavender is so healthy for you. Just pour in some lavender oil or cut pieces of lavender up and sprinkle them into your blender.
One of the easiest lavender recipes is lavender lemonade. A handful of lavender or one tablespoon of dried lavender, one cup of granulated sugar, two cups of boiling water, one and a half cups of lemon juice, two cups of cold water and ice will make lavender lemonade. This recipe is so simple. This lavender lemonade goes great with almost any meal. It makes for a great relaxing beverage to cool you down this summer. Try this recipe at your next family gathering or holiday dinner.
Lavender can be added to so many recipes. It also can be used as a garnish. If you are baking potatoes or chicken, adding a few pieces of lavender will make your dish look appetizing, smell good, and have a great lavender flavor. Lavender is something you can add to your skincare routine, as well as your diet and expect to see great health benefits.
[…] and a little extra care — can make a difference this spring. Don’t forget to check out what you need to know about lavender […]