Herbs and spices are beneficial in many ways;
 For good heart health decrease your salt intake by including more herbs and spices. Aim for No Added Salt in cooking and No Added Salt at the table. Shake the habit by enjoying some herbs and spices instead!
By increasing flavour, colour and aroma of foods, the addition of herbs and spices helps people meet their healthy fat intake and reduce their sugar consumption.
They increase the variety, quality and attractiveness of your daily diet. Try spicing up your next meal!
They contain high concentrations of antioxidants which help in the prevention of lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Herbs and spices multiply the antioxidant power of other foods, which is known as "food bundling". A study showed that by adding 3g of marjoram into a salad mixture of tomato and lettuce raised the antioxidant capacity of the salad by 285%.
As they are part of the fruit and vegetable food groups they contain a range of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that technically herbs are the leaves of a plant (i.e. parsley and coriander) whilst spices are the "unleafy and dried" parts (i.e buds such as cloves and roots such as ginger).
Ginger is a natural anti-emetic (helps to reduce nausea). Recent research suggests that herbs and spices also aid digestion and support the immune system.
Increase your use of herbs and spices by enjoying them in all their different forms:
- Fresh (try growing - great activity for the kids)
- Frozen (you can cut up fresh herbs and freeze them in jars or ice cube trays or you can buy it in tubes in the supermarket)
- Dried
Spicy Marriages and other Herby Hints
Rosemary and potato. Try roasting potato with sprigs of rosemary and garlic cloves
Thyme and pumpkin. Try springling pumpkin with thyme before roasting or try a pumpkin, thyme and chilli risotto
Basil and tomato. Instead of salt on your tomatoes try sprinkling basil (fresh or frozen).
Oregano and tomato. Add some oregano on your next home made pizza.
Basil and strawberries. Sprinkle finely chopped basil over strawberries.
Mint and peas. Stir some finely cut mint through steamed peas as a great side dish.
Ginger. Ginger is great in stir fries. Reduce the amount of soy sauce you use in your next stir fry by adding ginger and garlic. For a great side dish to a stir fry or fish try adding some ginger into your next sweet potato and potato mash.
Mint or ginger and fruit salad. Shred finely and stir through fruit salad.
Fennel or dill with fish.
Mint or ginger in green tea.
Oregano or marjoram with salad. Try adding a little to your next salad sandwich.
Try these recipes:
Recipe of the Month: Beef and apricot stew
Green Eggs
Foil Fish
Sweet potato salad
For more recipe ideas go to www.gourmetgardenrecipes.com
Article written by Kate Wengier, APD.
Quote of the Month:
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