what is lovage made from

What is the scientific name of lovage?

Lovage (/ ˈlʌvɪdʒ /), Levisticum officinale, is a tall perennial plant, the sole species in the genus Levisticum in the family Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae. It has been long cultivated in Europe, the leaves being used as a herb, the roots as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice, especially in southern European cuisine.

What does lovage look like?

It is grown widely in Europe, and used most frequently in the cuisines of Southern Europe, Germany, England, and in some Eastern European countries. It looks like very thin, dark green celery, with dark green leaves that resemble a combination of both celery leaves and giant parsley leaves. What Does Lovage Taste Like?

What is lovage and how is it used?

This is not a shy herb by any stretch. In addition to the predominant celery bite, lovage also offers a bit of a citrusy zing. Lovage gets along beautifully with a large number of foods. The leaves can be used in salads, soups, and anything containing pork, poultry, and strongly flavored fish. But a word of caution: Lovage is strong.

Is lovage a vegetable or a spice?

The stems and roots can be boiled or sautéed as a vegetable, while the fragrant seeds are used as a spice. Lovage is plenty aromatic, with a flavor that mingles the taste of celery with parsley. Lovage is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Grow lovage in full sun to part shade. It’s one of the most shade tolerant herbs.

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What are the health benefits of lovage?

Lovage is probably best known as a digestive aid, relieving flatulence and other stomach discomfort. In addition to helping digestion, lovage was commonly used to strengthen the heart and as a respiratory aid. It was also useful as a diuretic, to treat kidney stones and as a blood purifier.

What is lovage called in the US?

What Is Lovage? Lovage is a member of the Apiaceae, or Umbellifer family, and it tastes and looks a lot like celery. It's sometimes called smellage or maggi plant.

What else is lovage called?

Lovage has the botanical name Levisticum officinale, and is part of the Umbelliferae family. Its better known cousins include celery, carrots, and in the herb world, parsley.

What spice is lovage?

Lovage Basics The seeds of the lovage plant are known as celery seed. Lovage tastes like celery, with undertones of parsley and hint of anise. It's mild enough to use with fish and poultry, but has just enough spice to make it interesting.

Can you eat raw lovage?

Cooking with Lovage Today, lovage is a favorite flavoring in Britain and southeastern Europe. It is eaten cooked or raw. The leaves are used in soups, stocks, flavored vinegars, pickles, stews, and salads.

What is the herb lovage used for?

Lovage is a plant. The root and underground stem (rhizome) are used to make medicine. Lovage is used for kidney damage in people with diabetes (diabetic nephropathy), indigestion, kidney stones, cough, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Is lovage a stimulant?

As a medicinal plant, lovage has been used as a digestive, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, anti-dyspeptic, expectorant, stimulant and stomachic; and also as a treatment for jaundice.

Is lovage toxic to dogs?

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Lovage has volatile oils, including phthalide lactones, and it's a diuretic.

How do you eat lovage?

Culinary Uses of Lovage The leaves can be chopped up and added to any dish you would use celery in including salads, soups, stews, frittatas, egg salad, and potato salad. The flavor is stronger than celery, so use it accordingly. If you like bloody Mary's, the hollow stalk of the lovage is for you!

Where does lovage grow?

Plant in rich, deep, moist soil in sun or partial shade. Lovage is a prolific self seeder. Retain some seedlings if you like, but weed out others to prevent the plants from smothering other plants in the border. Trim plants in summer to encourage a flush of new shoots.

Is lovage part of the celery family?

Lovage (Levisticum officinal) is an old herb from the Mediterranean region. A member of the Apiaceae family (celery or parsley family), it is a long-lived plant, hardy to zone 5.

Does lovage grow wild?

This is just Lovage aka Garden Lovage, and is planted in gardens where it grows to twice the height of Scots Lovage being the real Lovage (which grows wild only in Scotland). 10th July 2019, a garden, New Mills, Derbyshire. The branches are in opposite pairs with a central extensions bearing another umbel.

Is lovage same as parsley?

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is an herb that looks similar to parsley, but with bigger leaves. The plant is, in fact, related to parsley, along with many other well-known herbs and vegetables like carrots, fennel, and dill, along with the now-extinct plant silphium, also a classical favorite.

Is lovage a celery?

Lovage tastes like celery but a little stronger and is a lot easier to grow than celery. Lovage is in the Umbelliferae family with its cousins dill, fennel, caraway, coriander and chervil. Its botanical name is Levisticum officinale.

How do you find lovage?

Stems and Size Breaking the stem will reveal a hollow center. Lovage grows from a thick, fleshy root that resembles a carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus). The root is grayish brown on the outside and whitish inside, reaching lengths of between 5 to 6 inches.

Is lovage part of the celery family?

Lovage (Levisticum officinal) is an old herb from the Mediterranean region. A member of the Apiaceae family (celery or parsley family), it is a long-lived plant, hardy to zone 5.

May Promote Urinary Health

Sherry Christiansen is a medical writer with a healthcare background. She has worked in the hospital setting and collaborated on Alzheimer's research.

What Is Lovage Used For?

Lovage may work as a diuretic due to an action called “aquaretic.” This means that the herb can stimulate urination (and help flush the bladder and kidneys by increasing urine output) without the loss of vital electrolytes (such as sodium).

Possible Side Effects

Overall, there are very few known serious side effects of lovage. One common side effect involves a condition called photodermatitis. This occurs after the herb is eaten or used on the skin, and it can cause the skin to become more sensitive to sunlight and other forms of ultraviolet light.

Dosage, Preparation, and Storage

While you should consult with your healthcare provider before taking any dose of lovage, common dosages include the following, which should generally not extend beyond 2 to 4 weeks of consecutive use:

What to Look For

While lovage is a hardy growing plant that can survive for up to eight years, it’s not advisable to use parts of plants that have been growing for long time spans, because the plant loses its potency with age. Therefore, the plants should be split, and new roots re-grown every year, to help it retain its vigor.

Overview

Lovage is a plant. The root and underground stem (rhizome) are used to make medicine.

How does it work ?

The chemicals in lovage might increase water loss through urination, and decrease spasms.

Description

Lovage is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant growing to 1.8–2.5 m (6–8 ft) tall, with a basal rosette of leaves and stems with further leaves, the flowers being produced in umbels at the top of the stems. The stems and leaves are shiny glabrous green to yellow-green and smell somewhat similar to celery when crushed.

Distribution

The exact native range is disputed; some sources cite it as native to much of Europe and southwestern Asia, others from only the eastern Mediterranean region in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, and yet others only to southwestern Asia in Iran and Afghanistan, citing European populations as naturalised.

Properties and uses

The leaves can be used in salads, or to make soup or season broths, and the roots can be eaten as a vegetable or grated for use in salads. Its flavour and smell are reminiscent both of celery and parsley, only more intense and spicy than those of either. The seeds can be used as a spice in the same way as fennel seeds.

Etymology

The name "lovage" is from "love-ache", ache being a medieval name for parsley; this is a folk-etymological corruption of the older French name levesche, from late Latin levisticum, in turn thought to be a corruption of the earlier Latin ligusticum, 'of Liguria ' (northwest Italy), where the herb was grown extensively.

About Lovage

Levisticum officinale, from the Apiaceae (carrot/parsley) family, is native to Southern Europe and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean.

The History of Lovage

The history of lovage goes back to the ancient Greeks who chewed the leaves for digestion and gas. The leaves were placed in the shoes to relieve weary feet (McVicar, 1997).

Culinary Uses of Lovage

What makes lovage so special to those of us who appreciate it is that it tastes like celery. It was originally popular as a salad green before celery was as common as it is today.

Therapeutic Uses of Lovage

Lovage has been used in infusions, tinctures, decoctions, vinegars, elixirs, lozenges, and bath and foot soaks.

How to Grow Lovage

Like celery and parsley, lovage has a long germination period with a preference for cool conditions. To increase germination rates, plant only the freshest seeds and soak them in water for overnight prior to sowing.

How to Harvest Lovage

Harvest lovage leaves and stems often throughout the growing season to encourage new growth. Flavor is best when leaves and young and tender, and before the plant begins to flower.

How to Preserve and Store Lovage

Although lovage is best when used immediately after harvest, there are a number of ways to enjoy them outside of the growing season.

Common Issues

Lovage is a pretty robust plant that is rarely troubled by fungus or disease.

Where to Purchase Lovage Seeds

If you can’t find lovage seeds at the garden store, seed packets can be purchased online:

12 Lovage Recipes

Lovage packs quite a zing – use it whenever you want a fresh, deeply aromatic, and savory punch.

Anti-allergenic

Many of the health benefits of lovage relate to its anti-inflammatory and soothing nature, and the same is true for soothing the effects of allergens. Furthermore, it contains significant amounts of quercetin, which is a natural inhibitor of histamines.

Good for the Skin

The soothing properties of lovage also extend to the skin. When the leaves are applied directly to the skin, or a salve is made, it can be very effective for reducing the symptoms of psoriasis and acne, leading to smoother, better-looking skin.

Respiration Booster

If you are suffering from a respiratory ailment, lovage can act as an expectorant to clear out excess phlegm and mucus in your tracts. Furthermore, eucalyptol, one of the primary soothing agents found in it, can reduce irritation and inflammation in the lungs, promoting more rapid healing. [5]

Antibacterial Effects

Studies have shown that lovage has a significant effect on various microbes and foreign agents that can cause illness within the body. Although research is still ongoing, studies have found positive associations between lovage intake and a reduction in E. coli, Salmonella, and other dangerous infections. [6]

Digestive Processes

The anti-inflammatory nature of lovage makes it ideal for soothing upset stomachs and returning your gastrointestinal system to a neutral state. It can help to reduce bloating and excess gas by reducing irritation in your bowels and promoting healthy, normal movement in your colon. [7]

Menstrual Relief

When taken at the beginning of a menstrual period, lovage can act to soothe many of the most severe side effects of menstruation, including cramps and bloating. There is also high nutrient density that makes it effective in keeping your energy and mood high during that more stressful part of the month. [8]

Arthritis Relief

The natural anti-inflammatory nature of lovage makes it the perfect remedy for those suffering from conditions like gout, arthritis, and hemorrhoids. If you suffer from painful inflammation anywhere in your body, consume some lovage leaves or add this herb to your next dish – you might be surprised at the relief! [9]

Overview

Description

Distribution

Properties and uses

Etymology

External links