Costmary or alecost, a mint-like herb for cough and digestion

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Costmary, also called alecost (Tanacetum balsamita), is a herbaceous perennial plant with a rhizome crown that produces a wide, dense bunch of healing flowers.

It is native to Europe and Asia Minor.

• Also: more cough and gas herbs

From it emanates a fragrance that is very similar to that of mint. In herbalism, the leaves of this herb are used for their digestive, diuretic and wound-healing properties.

Health benefits of costmary

• Costmary has acknowledged antispasmodic properties. It alleviates bouts of cough, bronchitis and intestinal spasms.
• It is advised for its digestive properties in case of intestinal gas, flatulence and digestive disorders of any kind.
• Thanks to its diuretic properties, costmary is effective in case of water retention.
• Costmary infusions are excellent de-wormers.
• Topical use in the form of oil (macerate dried leaves in olive oil) with costmary accelerates wound-healing for small cuts and soothes superficial burn wounds and insect bites.

Growing costmary for its health benefits

• Costmary must be planted in full sun to boost the development of its leaves.
• It grows in rather light and cool soil and only asks for little care.
• Very hardy, costmary can be planted anywhere. It resists the cold very well.

Costmary in cooking for its properties

• This herb can be used a bit like mint, even though the fragrance isn’t exactly the same. Take note that it tastes quite bitter though.
• Fresh chopped costmary is paired with mixed salads, beef stew, green peas, potatoes and vegetable soup.
• For sweet-toothed children, costmary is a delicious enhancement to fruit salad.