Looking for ways to wake up your taste buds but also keep meals healthy? Fresh herbs can add flavor excitement to foods while adding health benefits, too.
There are good reasons for using herbs in cooking. As plants, herbs contain phytochemicals, or natural plant compounds that include antioxidants, carotenoids, and phenols. Some of these compounds are familiar to us such as vitamin C in parsley, and vitamin K in basil and oregano.
Besides enhancing the nutrient profile of the foods it complements, each herb provides unique flavors that can also play a role in improving health.
For those who are heavy-handed with the salt shaker, the added taste that herbs impart can help reduce the amount of salt needed to accent foods. By reducing sodium, salt-sensitive individuals can improve their blood pressure.
Trying to reduce fat intake? Because fat adds its own flavor to foods and also helps to carry flavors of other ingredients, decreasing fat can affect flavor. But by adding herbs to low fat foods, meals can be tasty and wholesome.
Both fresh herbs and their dried or ground versions have a place in the kitchen. But with summer close by, having an herb garden would be a great project for anyone wanting some outdoor time.
Herbs are hardy plants and are easy to grow whether one has a garden plot, a patio, or a balcony.
Garden centers have a variety of herbs available now. Try common herbs first. Basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, and thyme contribute mouth-watering flavors and can be used in familiar dishes. Basil is often used in pesto, oregano works well in tomato dishes, rosemary enhances pork, and thyme is a wonderful seasoning for poultry.
Herbs also make great salad dressings. Check out Cooking Light for some tempting suggestions.
For residents of Birmingham, the Cooperative Extension System of Alabama offers a bounty of information on herbs including history, types, and suggestions for growing and drying herbs. Prefer organic herbs? This service also offers sources for those who prefer to grow their own organic plants from seeds. As an added bonus, the extension staff offers a comprehensive handout that can be downloaded from their site.
Here in Alabama the soils tend to be clay-based, and some areas sport substantial rock. If your soil is similar, growing herbs in pots or in raised beds with rich compost may be wise alternatives.
A final note--gardening is a great activity for kids. No matter what their ages, kids can help with some aspect of gardening from choosing the seeds or herbs, preparing the soil (even with sandbox tools), and then watering the seedlings. Engage them in the cooking process, too.
And, if a cat is a member of the family, grow some catnip on a windowsill. Just for fun.
Photo Credit: Apolonia/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The articles written by Andrea Wenger, Birmingham Diets Examiner, are for informational purposes only and are not to be used in the place of medical advice. Please contact a licensed physician or other medical professional before changing any health care routine or before starting any diet, fitness, or exercise program. A fat reduction review can help you build a clear describe of what you demand to focus on to carry out your fat burning goal if you're a beginner; or serve as a reminder for the ones who are at an advanced or more boost step of their weight loss strategy. Promptly after are seven steps that can serve as methods for your own weight loss plan. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not a similar thing. Many weight loss courses have tricked people into believing that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss programs only work by causing a person's body to lose more muscle flesh and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. Although every effort has been made to include the most current information, new information is released daily and may cause some recommendations to change.
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