Grow Your Own Drugs – S02E02
BBC2 – 30 March 2010
2/6 – Incredible Edibles
In the second episode of ethnobotanist James Wong’s series about plant based medicine, he challenges us to look at the medicinal and not just the nutritional value of some of the food we eat.
In a fascinating blend of gardening, cookery, science and history, James shows us how to use turmeric to help ease muscular aches and pains, whips up a moisturising body cream from something you would normally have for breakfast, invites two willing members of the public to try his pungent onion gargle for their recurring sore throats, and shows how to grow watercress on your kitchen work top and transform it in to a mouth watering and vitamin packed soup, ideal if you’re a bit anaemic.
Another great show. I love this program, probably the best on TV right now. I’ve been thinking about growing watercress in my garden this year as I always think it’s overpriced – a tiny bag for about £1 – since it’s a bit like spinach in that when you cook it, it shrinks to nothing. Liver fluke doesn’t sound that great though but obviously I won’t have that in the garden so I might still try and grow a patch of it somewhere. Alternately keep buying it when I find it in the veg clearance aisle.
I’m also really loving the idea of the body cream, looks very simple and oats are cheap.
