The Public Herbarium

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in flower

An Everyperson’s Guide to Healing with Everyday Ingredients in Aotearoa New Zealand

You don’t need a specialty herb shop or wild foraging skills to practice herbalism. Some of the most powerful plant medicines are already in your kitchen—sitting in your spice rack, vegetable drawer, and pantry. Kitchen herbalism is about recognising these common ingredients as the healing allies they are.

This guide will show you how to use everyday foods and spices to support your health, address minor ailments, and prevent illness—all with ingredients you can find at any New Zealand supermarket.

What Is Kitchen Herbalism?

Kitchen herbalism is the practice of using common culinary ingredients—spices, herbs, vegetables, and pantry staples—as medicine. It’s the simplest, most accessible form of herbalism because:

The Philosophy:
Food and medicine aren’t separate categories. The herbs and spices that flavor your meals also contain powerful medicinal compounds. By using them intentionally, you transform everyday cooking into therapeutic practice.

Historical Context:
This isn’t new age thinking—it’s ancient wisdom found in every culture:

Why Start in the Kitchen?

Accessibility:

Safety:

Integration:

Cost-Effectiveness:

Why This Matters:
The best herbal medicine is the one you’ll actually use. Kitchen herbalism removes all the barriers—cost, access, complexity—that might prevent you from starting.

Your Essential Kitchen Pharmacy

Let’s explore the seven most powerful healing ingredients readily available in New Zealand supermarkets.

1. Garlic (Allium sativum) 🧄

Garlic (Allium sativum) head and cloves
Garlic (Allium sativum)

Cost: $2-4 per bulb (Countdown, New World, Pak’nSave)
Availability: Produce section, year-round

What Makes It Medicinal:
When you crush or chop garlic, an enzyme called alliinase converts alliin (inactive compound) into allicin (active antimicrobial compound). This happens within 10 minutes of crushing.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Acute Infections (Cold/Flu):

  1. Crush 1-2 raw garlic cloves
  2. Let sit 10 minutes (activates allicin)
  3. Mix with honey or food
  4. Swallow (don’t chew if too intense)
  5. Repeat 2-3 times daily at first sign of illness

For Prevention:

Garlic-Infused Honey:

Why This Works: Allicin is a potent antimicrobial that disrupts bacterial cell membranes. Multiple clinical studies show garlic reduces cold frequency and severity.

2. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) 🫚

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) root
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Cost: $3-6 per 100g (produce section)
Availability: Year-round in all supermarkets

What Makes It Medicinal:
Gingerols (in fresh ginger) and shogaols (formed when dried/cooked) are powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea compounds.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Nausea:

For Inflammation/Pain:

For Colds:

Simple Ginger Tea:

  1. Slice or grate 15-20g fresh ginger (thumb-sized piece)
  2. Add to 2 cups water
  3. Simmer 10-15 minutes
  4. Strain
  5. Add honey and lemon if desired

Why This Works: Gingerols block serotonin receptors that trigger nausea and inhibit inflammatory enzymes (COX-2). Clinical trials demonstrate ginger is as effective as some pharmaceutical anti-nausea drugs.

3. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) 🫚

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) one has been cut open to show inside
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Cost: $2-4 for powder (spice aisle), $4-8 per 100g fresh (produce section)
Availability: All supermarkets

What Makes It Medicinal:
Curcumin, the bright yellow compound in turmeric, is one of the most researched anti-inflammatory plant compounds.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

CRITICAL: Always combine with black pepper!

Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte):

  1. Heat 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
  2. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  3. Add generous pinch black pepper
  4. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. Add small slice fresh ginger (optional)
  6. Sweeten with honey
  7. Drink before bed

In Cooking:

For Joint Pain:

Why This Works: Curcumin inhibits inflammatory enzymes and pathways (COX-2, NF-κB). Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show effectiveness for arthritis comparable to some NSAIDs, without the side effects.

4. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum or C. cassia) 🪵

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) dried bark and powdered dried bark
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)

Cost: $2-5 for powder or sticks (spice aisle)
Availability: All supermarkets

What Makes It Medicinal:
Cinnamaldehyde (gives the characteristic flavor) plus polyphenols that affect blood sugar metabolism.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Blood Sugar Support:

Cinnamon Tea:

  1. Break cinnamon stick into pieces
  2. Simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes
  3. Add honey if desired
  4. Drink warm

In Cooking:

Why This Works: Cinnamon polyphenols activate insulin receptors and slow carbohydrate breakdown, helping moderate blood sugar spikes after meals.

5. Honey (Raw, Unpasteurised) 🍯

honey in small jars
Honey

⚠️ CRITICAL SAFETY WARNING: Never give honey to infants under 1 year old due to botulism risk. This is a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Cost: $8-15 per 500g raw honey (health food section or farmers markets)
Availability: Supermarkets, health food stores, markets

What Makes It Medicinal:
Raw honey contains hydrogen peroxide (natural antimicrobial), enzymes, antioxidants, and a unique osmotic effect that inhibits bacteria.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Cough/Sore Throat:

For Wound Healing:

Honey-Lemon Throat Soother:

  1. Mix 1 tablespoon honey
  2. Juice of 1/2 lemon
  3. 1 cup warm water
  4. Sip slowly

Why This Works: Honey’s thick consistency coats throat tissues, reducing nerve stimulation that triggers cough reflex. Its antimicrobial properties help fight infection. A 2018 Cochrane review found honey as effective as dextromethorphan (common cough medicine ingredient).

NZ Bonus: Mānuka Honey

6. Oats (Avena sativa) 🌾

oats (Avena sativa) leaves and seed head close up
Oats (Avena sativa)

Cost: $3-6 per kg (breakfast aisle)
Availability: All supermarkets

What Makes It Medicinal:
Avenanthramides (unique antioxidants), beta-glucan (soluble fibre), minerals (especially magnesium).

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Stress/Anxiety:

For Itchy/Irritated Skin:

Oatmeal Bath:

  1. Grind 1 cup rolled oats in blender to fine powder
  2. Add to warm (not hot) bath
  3. Soak 15-20 minutes
  4. Rinse gently
  5. Pat dry

For Eczema:

Why This Works: Avenanthramides reduce inflammation and histamine release in skin. The magnesium in oats supports nervous system function and stress response.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw, With “Mother”) 🍎

apples and apple cider vinegar on a table
Apple Cider Vinegar

Cost: $5-8 per 500ml (health food section)
Availability: Supermarkets, health food stores

What Makes It Medicinal:
Acetic acid (main component), beneficial bacteria and enzymes (in raw versions), minerals extracted from apple.

Key Actions:

Traditional Uses:

How to Use:

For Digestion:

Oxymel (Honey-Vinegar Syrup):

  1. Fill jar halfway with crushed garlic (approximately 50-60g for a 250ml jar)
  2. Add equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey
  3. Shake well
  4. Let sit 24 hours
  5. Take 1 teaspoon for sore throat or immune support
  6. Stores 2-3 weeks in fridge (signs it’s gone bad: mold, off smell, separation that won’t re-mix—when in doubt, discard)

For Mineral Extraction:

Why This Works: The acidity stimulates taste receptors that signal digestive organs to produce secretions. Acetic acid also slows glucose absorption, helping moderate blood sugar.

Simple Remedies for Common Issues

For Digestive Upset

Ginger-Peppermint Tea:

Why It Works: Ginger reduces nausea, peppermint relaxes digestive muscles and relieves gas.

Apple Cider Vinegar Digestive Tonic:

Why It Works: Stimulates stomach acid and digestive enzymes.

For Colds and Flu

Fire Cider (NZ-Adapted):

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Place all ingredients except honey in glass jar
  2. Cover completely with apple cider vinegar
  3. Cap tightly
  4. Shake daily
  5. Let sit 2-4 weeks
  6. Strain
  7. Add honey to taste (roughly equal amount)
  8. Bottle

Use: Take 1 tablespoon at first sign of cold, 3-4 times daily

Storage: Refrigerate in sealed bottle. Lasts 3-6 months (vinegar preserves it). Signs it’s gone bad: visible mold, fizzing/bubbling, severely off smell.

Why It Works: Combines multiple antimicrobial herbs, warming circulatory stimulants, and immune-supporting ingredients.

NZ Cost: $5-8 for full batch (lasts months)

Honey-Lemon-Ginger Throat Soother:

Use: Every 2-3 hours while symptomatic

For Sleep and Relaxation

Chamomile-Honey Milk:

Why It Works: Chamomile contains apigenin (binds to calming receptors), warm milk has tryptophan (serotonin precursor), nutmeg and cinnamon have mild sedative properties.

For Inflammation and Pain

Turmeric-Ginger Paste:

Use:

Daily Health Practices

Morning Rituals

Warm Lemon Water:

Why: Supports liver function, hydrates, provides vitamin C, gentle digestive wake-up.

Turmeric Tonic:

Why: Daily anti-inflammatory support, sets tone for day.

With Meals

Digestive Spice Blend:

Mix equal parts:

Use: Sprinkle on food, add to cooking, or mix 1/4 teaspoon in warm water before meals.

Why: Stimulates digestion, reduces gas, improves nutrient absorption.

Evening Practices

Calming Tea Blend:

NZ-Specific Kitchen Herbs

Widely Available in NZ Supermarkets

Fresh Herbs Section:

Cost: $3-5 per bunch

How to Use: Use fresh in large amounts, make teas, add to meals liberally.

Spice Aisle:

All the spices mentioned above, plus:

NZ-Grown When Available

Kawakawa:

Feijoa:

Preparation Techniques

Making Herbal Teas (Infusions)

Hot Infusion (Leaves and Flowers):

  1. Use 1-2 teaspoons dried herb OR 2-3 teaspoons fresh per cup
  2. Pour boiling water over
  3. Cover (keeps volatile oils in)
  4. Steep 5-15 minutes
  5. Strain and drink

Examples: Peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm

Decoction (Roots, Seeds, Bark):

  1. Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup
  2. Add to cold water
  3. Bring to simmer
  4. Simmer 10-20 minutes
  5. Strain and drink

Examples: Fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds

Making Infused Honey

Method:

  1. Crush or chop herbs (garlic, ginger, lemon peel)
  2. Fill small jar 1/3 to 1/2 full
  3. Cover completely with raw honey
  4. Cap and let sit 24-48 hours (or up to 2 weeks for stronger)
  5. Strain or leave herbs in

Use: Take by spoonful, add to tea, use on toast

Storage: 1-2 weeks refrigerated with fresh herbs, longer with dried. Signs it’s gone bad: fermentation/bubbling, mold, off smell—discard if uncertain.

Making Oxymel (Vinegar-Honey Syrup)

Basic Method:

  1. Chop herbs (garlic, ginger, onion, turmeric)
  2. Fill jar 1/2 to 2/3 full
  3. Add equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey
  4. Shake well
  5. Let sit 2-4 weeks, shaking daily
  6. Strain

Use: Take 1 tablespoon as immune tonic, sore throat remedy, or digestive aid

Shelf Life: Several months in fridge (vinegar is preservative). Signs of spoilage: mold, severe separation that won’t re-mix, fizzing/fermentation beyond initial activity.

Making Infused Oil

For External Use:

  1. Fill jar with dried herbs (never fresh—creates moisture/mold risk)
  2. Cover completely with olive oil or coconut oil
  3. Let sit 2-4 weeks in cool, dark place
  4. Shake daily
  5. Strain through cheesecloth

Uses: Massage oil, salve base, skin care

Shelf Life: 6-12 months stored properly (cool, dark place). Signs of rancidity: off smell, sticky texture, change in color. Discard if rancid.

Safety & Considerations

General Safety

“Food as Medicine” Principle:

Specific Cautions

Garlic:

Ginger:

Turmeric:

Cinnamon:

Honey:

When to Seek Professional Help

See a doctor if:

Kitchen herbalism is for:

Kitchen herbalism is NOT for:

Drug Interactions

Always tell your doctor about:

Common interactions:

Cultural Respect: Kawakawa and Native Plants

If Using Kawakawa:

General Principle:
When using plants significant to indigenous cultures, approach with humility, respect, and willingness to learn the cultural context.

Getting Started: Your Action Plan

Week 1: Stock Your Kitchen Pharmacy

Supermarket Shopping List:

Total Cost: $25-35 NZD
Will Last: 1-3 months

Week 2: Try Simple Remedies

Each Morning:

Each Evening:

As Needed:

Week 3: Expand Your Practice

Make One Preparation:

Add to Cooking:

Week 4: Evaluate and Adjust

Reflect:

Adjust:

Final Thoughts

Kitchen herbalism is the most accessible form of plant medicine. You’re not foraging unknown plants or buying expensive supplements—you’re using familiar, safe, affordable ingredients you already know.

The power lies in consistency and intention. A daily turmeric tonic, liberal use of garlic and ginger, raw honey for coughs—these simple practices, done regularly, support your body’s natural healing capacity.

Start small. Use what you have. Pay attention to how you feel. Let your kitchen become your first herbal pharmacy.

The most powerful medicine is the kind you’ll actually use. And there’s nothing more accessible than what’s already in your kitchen.

Sources & References

  1. Bayan, L., Koulivand, P. H., & Gorji, A. (2014). Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 4(1), 1-14.
  2. Marx, W., et al. (2015). The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on platelet aggregation: A systematic literature review. PLOS ONE, 10(10), e0141119.
  3. Daily, J. W., Yang, M., & Park, S. (2016). Efficacy of turmeric extracts and curcumin for alleviating the symptoms of joint arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medicinal Food, 19(8), 717-729.
  4. Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health. Foods, 6(10), 92.
  5. Singletary, K. (2019). Cinnamon: Update of potential health benefits. Nutrition Today, 54(1), 42-52.
  6. Oduwole, O., et al. (2018). Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4).
  7. Carter, D. A., et al. (2016). Therapeutic manuka honey: No longer so alternative. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, 569.
  8. Reynertson, K. A., et al. (2015). Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 14(1), 43-48.
  9. Johnston, C. S., & Gaas, C. A. (2006). Vinegar: medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. MedGenMed, 8(2), 61.
  10. Grieve, M. (1931). A Modern Herbal. Dover Publications.
  11. Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.
  12. Green, J. (2007). The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook. Crossing Press.
  13. Gladstar, R. (2012). Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing.
  14. Riley, M. (1994). Māori Healing and Herbal. Viking Sevenseas NZ.
  15. New Zealand Food Safety. (2024). Food Regulations and Safety Guidelines. Ministry for Primary Industries. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/food-safety/food-regulations/. Accessed December 2024.

Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The remedies described are for supporting wellness and addressing minor, self-limiting health complaints, not for treating serious medical conditions. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before using herbal remedies, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a diagnosed medical condition. If symptoms persist or worsen, seek professional medical care. When using plants with cultural significance to Māori (particularly kawakawa), approach with respect, seek appropriate permissions, and consider whether your use is culturally appropriate. Children under 2 years should not be given herbal preparations without healthcare provider guidance. Never give honey to infants under 1 year old. Individual responses to herbs vary—start with small amounts and observe your body’s response. The author and publisher assume no liability for adverse reactions, injuries, or losses resulting from the use of information in this guide.

Note on Pricing: All prices mentioned in this guide are approximate and based on New Zealand suppliers as of December 2025. Prices vary by supplier, season, and market conditions. We recommend checking current prices with your local suppliers.

The Public Herbarium is built on a foundation of scientific integrity, transparency, and care. Research sources are referenced throughout the site wherever possible. Content creation is assisted by AI tools and carefully reviewed for accuracy.