Description
Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis)
Valerian is an herb, native to Europe and several parts of Asia and it has been introduced into North America. Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates described its properties and Galen later prescribed it as a remedy for insomnia.
In modern herbal medicine valerian root is used as a natural sedative and relaxing remedy of the nervous system. Valerian’s most significant effect is in insomnia cases. Independent clinical studies, have demonstrated that the use of Valerian reduces the time it takes us to fall asleep, reduces the chance to wake up at night, lengthen the total sleep time and generally improves the overall quality of sleep, whether someone suffers from insomnia or not.
Valerian root is not used in cooking, it is consumed as a tea for its properties.