By tradition

Sweet-tart red berries tied to eye health, kidney support, and longevity.

Traditional use: Added to soups, congee, and tonic teas. Often paired with chrysanthemum for tired eyes.

A glossy, bitter, woody mushroom called the 'mushroom of immortality' in old texts.

Traditional use: Simmered for hours in slow tonics for calm, sleep, and long-term immune support. A classic adaptogen.

A sweet, mild root used in TCM to support qi — the body's vital energy — and the immune system.

Traditional use: Sliced into long-cooked soups, especially in autumn to 'fortify the lungs.' Studied for effects on immune cell…

Small dried chrysanthemum flowers brewed into a pale, cooling tea — a southern Chinese summer staple.

Traditional use: Drunk to release heat, soothe red or strained eyes, and ease headaches. Often blended with goji and rock sugar…

A small woody root nicknamed 'Indian ginseng' — one of Ayurveda's main rasayanas (rejuvenatives).

Traditional use: Taken with warm milk and a touch of ghee at night for stress, depleted energy, and shaky sleep. Modern trials…

The bright orange-yellow rhizome that colors Indian curries — a deep tradition of anti-inflammatory home use.

Traditional use: Stirred into warm milk ('haldi doodh' / golden milk) at night for sore joints and minor colds, and used culina…

A revered Indian basil grown by the doorway of many homes — both a sacred plant and a daily adaptogenic tea.

Traditional use: Brewed daily for stress, low-grade colds, and steady mood. Often called the 'queen of herbs.'

A classic Ayurvedic blend of three dried fruits (amalaki, bibhitaki, haritaki) used for gentle digestive support.

Traditional use: A teaspoon of the powder in warm water at night to support regular elimination without harshness, and to tonif…

The dried stigmas of the saffron crocus — the most prized spice in the Persian pantry.

Traditional use: A few threads in rice, milk, or tea for mood and digestion. Saffron extracts have shown promise in small studi…

The fragrant pink damascena rose; petals are dried for tea and distilled into golāb (rose water).

Traditional use: A soft, soothing tea after meals or when the heart is heavy. Rose water is added to syrups, sweets, and sprink…

Fragrant green pods crushed into tea, rice, and sweets across Iran and South Asia.

Traditional use: Crushed into the teapot for digestion after rich meals, and chewed plain for fresh breath. Considered warming…

The tart cherry of Persian kitchens — eaten fresh in summer, preserved as jam and syrup all year.

Traditional use: Sharbat-e ālbāloo (sour-cherry syrup) is sipped as a cooling drink and folk remedy for restless sleep. Tart ch…

A small fragrant mountain herb gathered in summer across the Armenian highlands.

Traditional use: Brewed as a daily tea for colds, sore throat, and unsettled stomachs. Honey is added once the tea cools.

Tart red berries from the dogwood, ripe in late summer and dried or cooked into syrup.

Traditional use: Made into a tart syrup for children's upset stomachs and to gently lower fever. The dried berries make a vitam…

Leaves from the walnut trees that ring most Armenian village gardens.

Traditional use: A strong infusion is gargled for sore throats and used as a wash for minor skin irritation; sometimes a thin t…

The tart crimson spice ground from sumac berries — a staple of Armenian and Levantine kitchens.

Traditional use: Sprinkled on food as a daily souring spice; brewed into a tea after meals to support digestion. Modern researc…

Silvery leaves from the olive tree — bitter, mildly antimicrobial, rich in oleuropein.

Traditional use: Brewed as a tea or taken as extract for blood-pressure support, immune resilience, and mild colds.

A pine-scented evergreen herb growing wild across Mediterranean hillsides.

Traditional use: Used in cooking daily and brewed as a tea for headaches, sluggish circulation, and mental sharpness.

Soft grey-green leaves with a sharp, savory aroma — long used as a kitchen and gargle herb.

Traditional use: Strong sage tea is gargled for sore throats and mouth ulcers; a milder cup is sipped for hot flashes and heavy…

Sweet anise-scented seeds chewed after meals across the Mediterranean and South Asia.

Traditional use: Crushed seeds steeped after meals for bloating and gentle indigestion. Often the after-dinner mukhwas in India…

The purple coneflower long used by Plains Indigenous peoples — the most widely-adopted Native American medicinal plant.

Traditional use: Root and aerial parts used at the first sign of colds, flu, and infections, and applied to wounds and snake bi…

A feathery, white-flowered plant used by many tribes for wounds, fevers, and 'breaking' a cold with sweat.

Traditional use: Crushed fresh leaves applied to bleeding cuts (a famous battlefield herb). Tea drunk hot at the start of a fev…

A silvery-leafed Californian sage held sacred in many Native traditions and used for smoke cleansing.

Traditional use: Bundles are burned for clearing space and prayer. Sourcing matters: wild white sage is overharvested — buy onl…

Aromatic wood from a tree native to coastal Ecuador and Peru — used in Andean and Amazonian traditions.

Traditional use: Sticks of fallen wood are burned for clearing space, calming, and ceremony. Sourcing the deadfall wood (not cu…

A naturally caffeine-free South African shrub whose needle-like leaves brew a deep red, gently sweet tea.

Traditional use: An everyday Khoisan and Afrikaans drink given even to babies; used for sleep, mild allergies, and skin support…

The deep ruby flower brewed into a tart, cooling drink across West Africa, Egypt, Sudan, and the Caribbean.

Traditional use: Drunk cold in summer for thirst, blood-pressure support, and a steady mood. Modern studies note modest blood-p…

The 'drumstick tree' — its leaves are an extraordinarily nutrient-dense green used across Africa and South Asia.

Traditional use: Powder stirred into porridges, soups, and juices for everyday nutrition, energy, and breastfeeding support.

The naturally dry, citrusy fruit pulp of the iconic African baobab tree — exceptionally rich in vitamin C.

Traditional use: Stirred into water, milk, or porridge as a daily tonic for immunity and digestion. Children love its tart flav…

A caffeinated holly leaf brewed across Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil — usually shared from a gourd and bombilla.

Traditional use: A daily social drink for sustained focus and energy — gentler than coffee for many people.

The daisy-like chamomile flower — the kitchen herb of Latin American homes, given to babies for upset stomachs and to grown-ups for the nerves.

Traditional use: Brewed for stomachaches, gas, restless sleep, and tension. Cooled tea is used as a compress for tired eyes.

The 'good herb' — a milder mint than peppermint, ubiquitous in Mexican, Cuban, and Andean kitchens.

Traditional use: Steeped for stomachaches, mild headaches, and a quick lift after meals. The base herb of agua fresca and mojit…

A Peruvian Amazon vine whose hooked thorns give it its name — used by Asháninka peoples for joint and immune support.

Traditional use: Bark decoction taken for arthritis, gut inflammation, and immune resilience.