THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF WILD CRETAN HERBS
It is rather difficult to be collected, as it is growing in rocky mountainsides and gorges.
Its medical value had been acknowledged even since antiquity. Hippocrates, the “Father of the Medicine”, had been using it in his prescriptions, mostly against digestive disorders.
Some of the most famous ancient Greek authors, like Homer, Aristotle and Evripides mention dittany for its exceptional therapeutic properties in their writings as well. It is also said that when wild animals get injured, they rub their wounds against dittany in order to be healed quicker. Apart from that, dittany is being used also for aphrodisiac purposes. Nowadays, it is being added even in cocktails, mostly combined with vermouth.
Malotira or Sideritis is known in Greece as the “mountain tea”. “Malotira” comes from the Italian words “male” (meaning “disease”) and “tirare” (meaning “pull”), while Sideritis is a word that has its origin in antiquity and is referring to the ability of healing wounds caused by metal objects. It is being used against the colds and stomach disorders and it is possibly the most popular tea among Greeks.
Next time you will be in Crete, don’t forget to add the local herbs to your “to-buy” list!
