Herbs and Spices for Health

Nutrient levels in herbs are through the roof.

We didn’t realise quite how amazing herbs were nutritionally until we started making our product listings for the shop.  Suddenly we realised that herbs and spices for health made a lot of sense.

Herbs and spices are often discussed in terms of flavour but their nutritional content is usually an afterthought.  In ancient civilisations herbs and spices were so much more than culinary extras – they were medicinal tools.  It is easy to see why when you look at the dense nutrition available in small amounts of herbs.

So, what does ‘high in’ actually mean?

To say something is high in a nutrient it must contain at least 30% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) per 100g.  Of course when it comes to herbs and spices we are usually only adding a teaspoon at most, often to a large pot.  So why are herbs and spices still so good for these nutrients?  Because their levels are so high that even small amounts are significant and if you are adding a few herbs to each meal then this soon adds up.

Focus on Basil

Dried Basil contains 2143% of the RDA for vitamin K which is essential for blood clotting and bone health.  To give you a comparison Chilli flakes contain 600%, lentils contain 2%, spirulina offers 32% and cucumber contains 20%.  So you can suddenly see how impressive a humble herb can be.

Basil also contains 233% of the RDA for iron, 210% of the RDA for calcium, 158% of the RDA for manganese and 106% of the RDA for magnesium.

Follow the links in this table to find out more about the nutrition in these magical herbs and spices and tips on how to cook with them:

If you don’t like supplementation but want to boost your nutrient status for winter, then start adding herbs and spices to every dish, salad and dessert.  The good news is your food will start tasting amazing too!