Although our garden is packed with plants, we can always find room for special things that look attractive and have benefits for our health.

Friends in the Leida Aragon branch of Terra Madre in Spain had set up an association called Dulce Revolucion – ‘Sweet revolution’.  It was created to make people aware of plants that members had found beneficial, and to make them available in return for a small donation to the Association.

Inspired by this, we arranged a rural tour to collect some plants for ourselves or friends and others.  Two weeks later we have the following three types of plants being trialled under different microclimatic conditions as the plants are not native to Spain

Stevia:  The variety Stevia rebaudiana has the balance of Rubiocicide and Steviocide of the original plant from Paraquay and has not had the sweetener content increased by genetic breeding as has apparently happened in countries such as Japan.

We can now use fresh or dried leaves instead of honey in infusions and cooking. They may be able to help reduce the amount of medications that diabetic type 1 and 11 sufferers need to take, and help reduce fat build up, blood pressure and anxiety.

It’s usually consumed as an infusion.

Perilla:    Perilla frutescens is an attractive purple-leaved plant that has useful culinary and health benefits.

It is used in the preparation of Japanese Shiso dishes. Healthwise, it is used in Asia for relieving allergic, respiratory and food poisoning conditions etc.  It’s generally consumed as an infusion or leaf but it can also be included in salads.

Kalanchoe:  The exotic-looking succulent plants we have are planted in a dedicated raised bed. The varieties are pinnata, dalgremontianum and gastionis-bonnieri. The benefits claimed include helping reduce cell damage and cancerous conditions, rheumatism, psychological crisis and hypertension.  Like the other two, it’s taken as infusions or in salads.

Although we’re healthy (or believe we are), we are using a different leaf each day in our health-sustaining diet.

© Clodagh and *** Handscombe July 2009. Their website is www.gardeninginspain.com and their best-selling books are Growing Healthy Vegetables in Spain, Growing Healthy Fruit in Spain and Your garden in Spain .