ABSTRACT
Herbs are well known for their diversity in foods. Various health benefits of herbal foods have been documented. Herbal foods have no side effects on the body and also replace synthetic antioxidants. Foods rich in antioxidants could lower the incidence of cancers, CVDs, hypertension, and diabetes. There are various applications of herbs in the form of extract or essential oils (EOs) in various food products like dairy products, bakery, meat and fish products, and edible packaging films. The major advantage of herbal foods is that they are easily available and affordable for the consumers. Some of the important herbs discussed in this chapter include garlic, maiden hair tree, ginger, dried root of panax ginseng, asafoetida, bael, brahmi, peppermint, aloe vera, basil, ashwagandha, arjuna, turmeric, sage, cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek, and peppermint. Herbal products are well known for their functional properties, that is, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antihypertensive, and angiotensin converting enzymes. Herbal products and their extracts have strong flavor and aroma which affect the sensory attributes of the herbal products. EOs become hardly water soluble and cause nonuniform distribution in food matrices due to their hydrophobicity.
