The best ways to help herbs maintain their aroma and nutrients

For this reason, it is best for herbs to be harvested or purchased just before use, and then processed immediately.

Shopping tipsWhen buying herbs, make sure that they give off an aromatic scent. The herbs that have already been cut should look juicy and green. A useful test for potted plants is to carefully pull the stem – if the entire plant comes off, including the root ball, experts advise against buying it.

storage: If you cannot use the herbs right away, make sure they are moist enough. You can place the packet in a cup of water or wrap the herbs in a damp cloth and store them in the salad basket of the refrigerator. They will stay for about three days.

Alternatively, you can of course freeze, dry or pickle the herbs – allowing them to be stored for longer.

Herbal treatment: Fresh herbs should only be rinsed briefly under cold water and then dried or dried with a towel. Hard-stemmed herbs can be added whole, or the leaves can be plucked.

If the herbs have soft stems, you can cut them into small pieces with a knife or scissors. Do not crush or crush them, if you can avoid it. This preserves the ingredients and scent.

Basil, for example, contains many minerals and vitamins – including calcium, iron, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and K. Parsley contains vitamins A, B1 to B6, C, and K, in addition to beta-carotene and folic acid.

Make your own herb pesto: Herbs are excellent for making pesto. If you want to make a delicious mixture yourself, you can try our Seven Herb Recipe. You will need: basil, parsley, coriander, currants, thyme, oregano and wild garlic. Simply chop the herbs, add them to fresh olive oil, add some chopped pine nuts, and season everything to taste.