Drying Increases Herb's benefits
11/03/11 02:08 Filed in: Health and Well-being
Recent American research has compared the effectiveness of different drying strategies on the nutritional value of herbs
Recent American research has compared the effectiveness of different drying strategies on the nutritional value of herbs
Working with rosemary, motherwort and peppermint, they grew the herbs and compared freshly harvested leaves with leaves hung up in a greenhouse and dried naturally by the sun and with leaves dried in an oven at 40oC. They found that dried leaves contain more health giving phytochemicals and anti-oxidants than freshly plucked leaves.
Rosemary had the highest levels of polyphenols (the so-called ‘superfoods’) and anti-oxidants when dried in the sun.
Motherwort and peppermint had the highest levels of these substances when gently dried in a warm oven.
(Unless the oven is being used for another purpose, the sustainable gardener wouldn’t use the energy involved in drying the crops.)
Working with rosemary, motherwort and peppermint, they grew the herbs and compared freshly harvested leaves with leaves hung up in a greenhouse and dried naturally by the sun and with leaves dried in an oven at 40oC. They found that dried leaves contain more health giving phytochemicals and anti-oxidants than freshly plucked leaves.
Rosemary had the highest levels of polyphenols (the so-called ‘superfoods’) and anti-oxidants when dried in the sun.
Motherwort and peppermint had the highest levels of these substances when gently dried in a warm oven.
(Unless the oven is being used for another purpose, the sustainable gardener wouldn’t use the energy involved in drying the crops.)