Background

• Tarragon is a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family and is related to wormwood. Tarragon is widely used to flavor food. The plant's fragrant leaves give foods an anise-like flavor.
• Tarragon has a long tradition of use as a tea in the West and in Asia for treating upset stomach. It has been studied in combination with ginger and cardamom as a treatment for vomiting and nausea. Tarragon has also been studied as an herb to help manage blood sugar.
• Tarragon contains estragole, a compound which may cause liver cancer. However, the amount of estragole from short-term use of herbs and supplements in adults at recommended doses does not seem to have a high cancer risk.

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