Plant Medicine 101: Asafoetida as the Food of The Gods?

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In the previous article, we featured the alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plant, an often-overlooked super herb with many dietary and medicinal uses.

In this article, we are going to take a look at the herb Asafoetida.

Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida)

This plant has been also referred to as the “Food of the Gods.” The main part of this plant that is used is the resin which makes up a volatile oil. This herb has been used throughout recorded history, going back as far as 4 B.C., during the times of Alexander the Great. Asafoetida was used to treat gas and the bloating associated with it. Today, the resin gum is used often for vegetarian dishes that are prepared in India. Also, it is apparently one of the main flavorings in Worcestershire sauce.

Asafoetida is an herbal plant that has many diverse uses such as

• an aid for digestion,
• a remedy for headaches,
• an antidote, and an
• expectorant.

In addition to dealing with gas and bloating, it also eases indigestion, Asafoetida handles stomach cramps, and helps with constipation.

When it comes to headaches, the herb, when mixed with water shows great promise for the treatment of migraines and tension headaches.

Useful as antidote

As an antidote, it works great for snake bites and an insect repellant when it is mixed with garlic.

Dealing with respiratory issues

As an expectorant the Asafoetida oil helps to rid the body of excess mucus and eases the respiratory system. Many use it for whooping cough, asthma, and bronchitis. Some mixtures that seem to blend together well for coughs and as expectorants are roasted fresh resinous gum powder with real ghee or a mixture of Asafoetida powder with honey, white onion juice, betel nut juice and dry ginger.

Additional features of this plant

Asafoetida has a very unpleasant odor to it, so bad that many call it the “Devil’s Dung.” The foul odor comes from the resin that is removed from the plant’s stem and root. Asafoetida is a species of the fennel plant and a relative to the carrot. The pungent odor is formed from the organic sulfur compound found as part of the essential oils.

Shopping for the herb

When buying Asafoetida, it comes in different forms:

• tears – which are commonly sold in Chinese pharmacies and characteristically may have fragments of root and earth, or
• as a paste which is very commonly used as a condiment for flavoring such dishes as curry, to flavor beans, sauces, pickles.

Other interesting things that Asafoetida is used for include increasing the chances of male fertility when added to cooking. Also, it is often used for toothaches, and many use it as a substitute for garlic.

In the next article, we are going to look at Balsam of Tolu, also called Tolu Balsam.

Note: I am an affiliate for the above offer and may get a commission on each sale.

Sources:

Asafetida – A Grounding Herb, 09-15-2011.Located at American Botanical Council (online),
http://herbalgram.org/resources/herbclip/herbclip-news/2011/asafetida-a-grounding-herb/ [Accessed April 26, 2023]

Amalraj A, Gopi S. Biological activities and medicinal properties of Asafoetida: A review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016 Dec 20;7(3):347-359. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.11.004. PMID: 28725631; PMCID: PMC5506628.

Mahendra P, Bisht S. Ferula asafoetida: Traditional uses and pharmacological activity. Pharmacogn Rev. 2012 Jul;6(12):141-6. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.99948. PMID: 23055640; PMCID: PMC3459456.