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Epazote

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Plants

                   iEpazote
           Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Plantae
   Division: Tracheobionta
   Class:    Magnoliopsida
   Order:    Caryophyllales
   Family:   Chenopodiaceae
   Genus:    Chenopodium
   Species:  C. ambrosioides

                                Binomial name

   Chenopodium ambrosioides
   L.

   Epazote, Wormseed, Jesuit's Tea, Mexican Tea, or Herba Sancti Mariæ
   (Chenopodium ambrosioides) is a herb native to Central America, South
   America, and southern Mexico. Its name derives from the Nahuatl word
   for "skunk herb" (epatli = skunk + zotli = herb). It is an annual or
   short-lived perennial plant, growing to 1.2 m tall, irregularly
   branched, with oblong-lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm long. The flowers
   are small and green, produced in a branched panicle at the apex of the
   stem.

   As well as in its native area, it is grown in warm temperate to
   subtropical areas of Europe and the United States ( Missouri, New
   England, Eastern United States), sometimes becoming an invasive weed.

Culinary uses

   Epazote is used as a leaf vegetable and herb for its pungent flavor.
   Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal pungency, a bit like the liquorice
   taste of anise, fennel, or even tarragon, but stronger. Epazote's
   fragrance is strong, but difficult to describe. People would often
   compare it with (in no particular order) citrus, petroleum, savory,
   mint or putty.

   Although it is traditionally used with black beans for flavor and its
   antiflatulent properties, it is used in traditional Mexican cooking for
   an extra kick. Great with quesadillas, soups, mole de olla, tamales de
   queso y rajas, chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes and enchiladas. It is
   really an all round leafy herb, once you acquire the taste for it.

Medicinal uses

   Epazote is used as a leaf vegetable and herb for its pungent flavor and
   its claimed ability to prevent flatulence caused by eating beans but
   also in the treatment of amenorrhea , dysmenorrhea, malaria, chorea,
   hysteria, expectorant, catarrh, and asthma.

   Oil of Chenopdium is derived from this plant. It is anthelmintic, that
   is it kills intestinal worms, and was once listed for this use in the
   US Pharmacopoeia. It is also cited as an antispasmodic and
   abortifacient - the first birth control pills were derived from
   research on epazote.

   Epazote essential oil contains ascaridole (up to 70%), limonene,
   p-cymene, and smaller amounts of numerous other monoterpenes and
   monoterpene derivatives ( α-pinene, myrcene, terpinene, thymol, camphor
   and trans-isocarveol). Ascaridol (1,4-peroxido-p-menth-2-ene) is rather
   an uncommon constituent of spices; another plant owing much of its
   character to this monoterpene peroxide is boldo. Ascaridole is toxic
   and has a pungent, not very pleasant flavor; in pure form, it is an
   explosive sensitive to shock. Allegedly, ascaridole content is lower in
   epazote from México than in epazote grown in Europe or Asia.

                              Herbs and spices
     Herbs Basil · Bay leaf · Boldo · Borage · Chervil · Chives ·
        Coriander leaf (cilantro) · Curry leaf · Dill · Epazote ·
   Eryngium foetidum (long coriander) · Fennel · Holy basil · Houttuynia
               cordata · Hyssop · Lavender · Lemon grass ·
   Limnophila aromatica (rice paddy herb) · Lovage · Marjoram · Mint ·
Oregano · Parsley · Perilla · Rosemary · Rue · Sage · Savory · Sorrel ·
        Stevia · Tarragon · Thyme · Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
    Spices African pepper · Ajwain (bishop's weed) · Allspice · Amchur
  (mango powder) · Anise · Asafoetida · Caraway · Cardamom · Cardamom,
  black · Cassia · Celery seed · Chili · Cinnamon · Clove · Coriander
     seed · Cubeb · Cumin · Cumin, black · Dill seed · Fenugreek ·
 Galangal · Garlic · Ginger · Grains of paradise · Horseradish · Juniper
 berry · Liquorice · Mace · Mahlab · Mustard, black · Mustard, white ·
 Nigella (kalonji) · Nutmeg · Paprika · Pepper, black · Pepper, green ·
    Pepper, pink · Pepper, white · Pomegranate seed (anardana) · Poppy
 seed · Saffron · Sarsaparilla · Sassafras · Sesame · Sichuan pepper ·
      Star anise · Sumac · Tamarind · Turmeric · Wasabi · Zedoary

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epazote"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
