Lovage is a perennial plant that is a member of the parsley family. While the name of this tall leafy herb sounds quaintly delicate, it still packs plenty of punch. Lovage’s flavour is often compared to celery – and in French it’s known as céleri bâtard or false celery.
Lovage to Save the Day!
Lovage is especially honorable given its ability to support many different systems within the body. The root is nutritive & restorative. It revitalizes detox organs, supports the health of the urinary tract, and helps to activate the immune and lymphatic system. Its especially helpful in cold season as it helps to expel mucus from the respiratory tract. WishGarden chose to use this herb as an analog for Osha when we decided to lower the amount of Osha used in our formulas for sustainability reasons. Osha is powerful respiratory herb, but Lovage saved the day making our Kick-Ass Immune just as, if not more, effective and reliable!
Lovage is not just an herb; its a green ambassador of love, history and flavor. From potions of old to contemporary formulas, the herb has left a mark on our hearts and palates and is still very much relied on in modern holistic health. [[ recipeID=recipe-8lohjs4ys, title=Lovage and Potato Soup ]]
Rebecca Younger is passionate about herbs and womens health. She aspires to plant seeds of inspiration within her community about plant medicine and healthier ways of life. She studied Herbal Medicine at Herbalism Roots in Denver and is a certified Doula through the Matrona Foundation. She is the customer journey lead at WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or sell any product.
I’d recommend using two parts celery leaves and one part Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, with a bit more than the recipe calls for. In the recipes I publish on this blog, I’ll automatically convert proportions, but I figured I should set forth the formula I plan to use. Lovage seed, another commonly used part of the plant, can be substituted with celery seed. Curiously, the spice marketed as “celery seed” often contains lovage seed, so maybe we’ve been using this obscure herb all along!
The Latin name for lovage, levisticum or ligusticum, comes from the word meaning “Ligurian.” Liguria, a coastal region in northwestern Italy, was inhabited by the Ligures, a bevy of indigenous tribes who were, like the Gauls, hostile to Roman interests. As we can see in the opening quote, Pliny confirms that lovage was native to the mountains of Liguria.
As with many dishes or herbs or, more broadly speaking, any unfamiliar words, we can glean quite a bit from taking a look at their derivation. Much like how epityrum‘s etymology clues us in about how it was eaten, lovage’s name hints at where it could’ve initially been grown.
Save for a few niche online herb vendors or garden stores, lovage is nearly impossible to buy nowadays. Fortunately, there are some convincing substitutes. From what I’ve read, people who have tasted lovage claim it’s a cross between parsley and celery, but stronger.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is an herb that looks similar to parsley, but with bigger leaves. The plant is, in fact, related to parsley, along with many other well-known herbs and vegetables like carrots, fennel, and dill, along with the now-extinct plant silphium, also a classical favorite. Lovage stalks grow six to eight feet tall — it’s a monstrous plant, really! — and they bear glossy, green, three-lobed leaves that smell like celery, another of its botanical cousins, when crushed.
LOVAGE & BURNET : Two Uncommon herbs with surprising flavors!- Amazing Plants
FAQ
What is the difference between parsley and lovage?
What is another name for lovage?
What herb is similar to lovage?
What does the herb lovage taste like?
Is lovage the same as parsley?
Lovage is a country cousin of parsley and can be used in much the same way. It doesn’t have a very strong flavor and, for that reason, has been put in the back seat compared to parsley, but there are numerous lovage health benefits that may bring this plant back out into the light.
What is the healthier substitute of parsley?
Chervil may be substituted for parsley as it has a similar, but milder taste. Chervil contains the same vitamins and minerals as parsley, all in greater quantities, except for vitamin C. While chervil is lower in vitamin C, it contains bioflavonoids which have many benefits, including increasing your vitamin C absorption. Chervil also contains much higher dietary fiber per gram than parsley. Chervil may have much greater amounts of micronutrients and fiber, but it is also much higher in macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). This ultimately means that chervil is much higher in calories than parsley. While this is not a bad thing, it that may be important to note for some people.
What does lovage taste like?
Lovage has a savory taste with hints of celery and parsley. You can use both the leaves and stems in your cooking, either fresh or dried. Sometimes, people also use the seeds of the lovage plant as a spice. Lovage is known by various names in different regions and languages. Some of the alternative names for lovage include:
What is the difference between love parsley and Maggi plant?
Love Parsley: Sometimes referred to as love parsley due to its similar appearance to parsley. Maggi Plant: In some regions, lovage is also known as Maggi plant, named after the well-known Maggi seasoning sauce, as its flavor is reminiscent of the sauce.