The Doctrine of Signatures is a fascinating concept.
It is a theory with ancient roots which proposes that plants show their medicinal properties through their structure, mimicking the body part that consumption treats. The carrot is an excellent example. Carrots are good for eye health and look like the iris and pupil when cut as you can see in the image above.
Ancient herbalists supposedly developed their craft by examining plants and discovering their “signature”.
Other examples include
- walnuts — brain
- tomato — heart
- grapes — lungs (there’s a good excuse for a glass of wine!)
- mushrooms — ears
- celery — bones
- sweet potato — pancreas
I first came across the concept when reading Terry Pratchett’s A Hat Full of Sky and was instantly fascinated. I was delighted that my daughter was similarly entranced when we read the book together.
Whether it’s true or not, it makes for some lively conversation and examinations during dinner!
This story was originally published in The Daily Cuppa on December 30, 2021.
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