Originally Posted by
ludocdoc
Really? Herbs and plants contain potent chemicals which have effects on the body. Some are tasty. Some are medicinal. Some are toxic.
Some plants with medicinal effects have a wide therapeutic range. That is, a little bit is tasty. More is perhaps therapeutic -- like Basil is said to be for gastric distress. For these, it's hard to overdose -- you cant really eat enough to hurt yourself.
Heart failure patients take digitalis. It comes from a flower. Too much and you die. A very narrow therpeutic range. I'm not sure if the flower is even tasty.
The fact that stuff comes from a plant does not mean it is healthy or safe. Would you eat poison ivy? Amanita Phalloides?
I certainly would not eat poison ivy. I had to google Amanita Phalloides, and after discovering what it was i can say for sure I would not knowingly eat it. Then again I am not aware of any cultures that have been eating those plants for hundreds of years without any apparent side affect. On the other hand herbs like stevia, basil, and mint HAVE been used consumed by many cultures for centuries without any apparent side effects.