How to Use Ashitaba PlantsAshitaba (scientifica name: Angelica keiskei), was discovered in Japan in the Longevity Islands. This Asian herb is a type of Angelica and belongs to the celery family. It is also known as Chinese Angelica, or Dong Quai. The use of the Ashitaba plant dates back to the Ming Dynasty (circa 1518-1593). It is easy to identify the Ashitaba plant by its yellow sap.

InstructionsThings You'll Need

Ashitaba plant String Hook Tea-ball Mug

o 1 Dry your Ashitaba plants to make tea and capsules. Pull the entire plant from the soil or take clippings and allow the plant to continue growing. Hold the Ashitaba upside down and tie the stems together with any kind of string. Use a foot of string or more so you can hang the bunch up to dry. Hang the Ashitaba upside down on a nail or hook away from the sunlight. The time it takes to dry is dependent on humidity conditions. One week or less is usually sufficient

o 2 Use the stems and leaves of your dried Ashitaba plant to make a tea. Break up the Ashitaba into pieces suitable for tea. Put the dry leaves and stems in a plastic bag suitable for food, place a thin dish towel over the bag and roll a rolling pin back and forth about 10 times. You want the consistency to be like loose green tea, not a powder but pieces that are small enough that you can easily measure them with a scoop. You may need to cut the stems with a scissors.Measure out approximately one teaspoon and put it into eight to 12 ounces of freshly boiled water. Allow the Ashitaba to steep for three minutes or more. You can eat the Ashtitaba or make the tea using a tea ball.

o 3 Use your Ashitaba plants as a healthy ingredient in soups. Add one fresh Ashitaba leaf or shoot for every two cups of soup. Remove the leaves from the plant by pinching them with your fingernails or using scissors. Wash the leaves thoroughly in cold water and then dry them by laying them out on a towel for about five minutes. Using a knife or scissors, dice the leaves into small pieces. Stir the Ashitaba leaves into the soup at the end of the cooking process so they do not impart a bitter taste to your dish. Another idea is to add them as garnish before the soup goes to the table.

o 4 If your Ashitaba plant is small, you can harvest the leaves individually rather than clipping an entire stalk. To harvest your Ashitaba plant leaf by leaf, choose mature leaves from the base of the stem or shoot. The mature leaves contain more of the active ingredients than the new shoots.

Tips & Warnings You can eat Ashitabe raw or steamed if you like the taste. Before beginning a daily regimen of Ashitaba, consult with your health care professional.

Ashitaba BenefitsThe website Organic Ashitaba categorizes ashitaba as a "superfood" and claims that it contains "11 vitamins, 13 minerals, chlorophyll, enzymes, carotene, germanium, saponins, proteins, plant fibers, glycosides, coumarins and ... chalcones" among its many nutritional components. Though this variety of garden angelica has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries, information published by WebMD states that in most cases there is not enough scientific information on ashitaba to confirm its benefits.

Digestive Health According to ashitaba proponents, due to its bitter principles, the herb improves the

appetite and benefits digestive health by speeding the process of elimination, removing toxins from the body and acting as a general tonic on the digestive system.

Wound Healing When used topically, the juice of the ashitaba is said to assist the healing of cysts,

pustules, fungal infections such as athlete's foot and boils due to its reported anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Advocates of ashitaba also say that the plant speeds wound healing by preventing infection and that it gives the skin a generally smooth texture.

Pain Reducer Ashitaba is thought to prevent muscle spasms and prevent pain in joints and muscles

because it is believed to have anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory qualities.Blood Cleaner

Ashitaba is said to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and act as a general tonic to remove toxins from the blood and strengthen the immune system.