Do Dried Herbs Have Different Health Benefits Than Fresh Ones?

© Photo: Stocksey/Nadine Greif The benefits of dried herbs

Cooking with herbs isn't just a quick and easy way to add lots of flavor to a dish: oregano, parsley, basil, mint, lemon, thyme, rosemary (you get the idea) add full flavor. Nutritional benefits in themselves. These benefits come from plant compounds known as polyphenols, which studies have shown improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of various diseases, including cancer.

"Polyphenols provide many benefits to the body due to their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as their effects on the gut microbiome," says Mackenzie Burgess, RDN, registered dietitian, recipe developer and founder of Cheerful Choices. . "Polyphenols are metabolized by our gut microbiota and converted into many beneficial substances." In addition to polyphenols, many herbs contain vitamins and small amounts of minerals such as calcium, iron, copper and zinc.

According to Burgess, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals are found in both fresh and dried herbs—you know, the ones you can grab off the supermarket shelf and mindlessly toss into your shopping cart and store them in the pantry. - You can eat them for months (unlike fresh herbs that spoil in no time). "Dried and fresh herbs are an excellent food source and can add flavor and variety to many dishes," says Burgess.

Considering the importance of cooking with dried herbs, we thought the nutritional value of fresh herbs would be compared to dried herbs. Scientists are also concerned with this question. And the answer seems to be: it depends.

"Some herbs were found to have lower polyphenol levels when dried compared to fresh herbs, but for other herbs there was no difference in polyphenol levels between the two forms," ​​says Burgess, referring to a study that included microwave dried herbs.

Another study involving a variety of commonly used herbs, including parsley, cilantro, rosemary, dill, oregano, and thyme, found that fresh herbs generally contain more polyphenols per gram than dried herbs. Another study found that drying thyme, lemon and mint reduced vitamin C content.

However, when it comes to everyday cooking, it's not too much of a concern, Burgess says, because, in general, the difference in nutritional value between fresh and dried herbs is negligible. He adds: If you want to make sure you're getting the same amount of vitamins and polyphenols from dried herbs as you do from fresh herbs, all you have to do to make the difference is add more dried herbs to your cooking. "Per gram of chickpeas, fresh herbs may contain more polyphenols, but if you use more dried herbs, the polyphenol content may be similar," says Burgess.

Because the water content has been removed, dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh herbs. When it comes to substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs in a recipe, the ideal ratio is 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. However, you can add no more than a teaspoon of dried herbs to every tablespoon of fresh herbs without ruining your dish, says Burgess.

"Depending on the grass, you can probably do a little more dry herb to get more nutrients without added flavor," says Burgess, adding that shelf life is important. Ultimately, though, it's important to eat a balanced diet over the weeks and months. If you regularly include fresh and dried herbs in a variety of colorful foods, there's a good chance you'll end up getting enough of this beneficial nutrient. . . "

And while drying your herbs is a great way to preserve fresh herbs you know won't be used anytime soon, there's certainly no shame in grabbing a few jars the next time you're out shopping. "If you have more fresh herbs, drying them yourself can be a great way to reduce food waste," says Burgess. "Otherwise, store-bought dried herbs are very convenient and make a great pantry staple."

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