Harvesting your herbs

Many people are going cool by going fresh - planting herb gardens that is. While herb gardens look cool, smell great and reinforce the "going green" trend, they can actually rate quite high on the nutrition scorecard.

First, know that there is a difference between soft herbs and hard herbs. Soft herbs include parsley, basil, mint, oregano and others where they can be eaten raw or added to cooking. They are all high in Vitamin K and various antioxidants, proving great sources of nutrition. Hard herbs include rosemary, thyme, sage and others that require cooking for long periods of time. We use very small amounts of hard herbs so their nutrient contribution to the diet is much less. Here is a closer look at the nutrients in soft herbs.

Parsley is one of the most popular herbs. It is high in Vitamin A and C and is a great source of folate (one of the B vitamins). The flavonoids in parsley-especially luteolin-have been shown to function as antioxidants which protect our cells.

Basil is an ancient herb which is used all over the world. Basil is being used more and more these days in American cuisine and is a common ingredient in pesto. It is very high in Vitamin A and the flavonoids, orientin and vicenin which also function as antioxidants.

Mint is not used much in American cuisine, but it should be because it is so rich in vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B-6, riboflavin and thiamin.

Oregano has been rated as one of the highest plant sources of anti-oxidants. It provides an excellent source of Vitamin A as well as the flavonoids, lutein, zea-xanthin and cryptoxanthin.

Conversion Factor:

When converting herbs in recipes from dried to fresh, the proper ratio is 3:1, or 3 times more fresh than dried. If a recipe calls for 1 tbsp. dried herb, use 3 tbsp. of the fresh herb instead. Dried herbs have stronger flavor due to their oils being more concentrated. They may also have some preservatives. The conversion formula is just a rule of thumb; let your taste buds be the judge to see in you need to add more fresh herbs.

Some herbs can be frozen as well as dried. Frozen herbs are almost as strong as fresh and can be substituted in any dish calling for fresh herbs. Try washing and freezing the whole stem of rosemary or thyme. When you take them out of the freezer, the leaves easily fall off of the stems.

So bask in that bountiful array of herbs and enjoy the status of what might arguably be the coolest house on the block!