Do you know the differences between FRESH and dry herbs? Featured by Tryst Café by Desert Ridge Marketplace on Tatum for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Call 480-585-7978.

What’s the difference between FRESH and dry herbs?

Previously posted at LiveStrong.com.

Tryst Café, across from Desert Ridge Marketplace, features FRESH herbs in many dishes. Just another reason our food tastes so good and supports your healthy living lifestyle.

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Spices and herbs like basil and rosemary not only provide flavor for your food, but also offer significant health benefits. The natural oils found in these herbs help fight cancer, diabetes and other diseases, and may even help you keep your weight in check according to theUniversity of Colorado Extension. While fresh and dried herbs both offer benefits to your health, fresh herbs often pack a more powerful punch in terms of nutrients, taste and cancer-fighting free radicals.

Nutritional Benefits

The biggest difference between fresh and dried herbs lies in the taste and potency of the herb. During the drying process, the herbs lose some of the essential oils that give the herb its flavor, especially if the herbs are dried in a microwave, or at high levels of heat.

Fresh herbs naturally provide greater levels of antioxidants and other nutrients than dried versions. For example, fresh garlic offers 1.5 times as many antioxidants as garlic powder, according to the University of Colorado Extension website.

Why Use Herbs

The University of Minnesota Extension website recommends consuming several different types of spices and herbs each day to improve your health. Both fresh and dried herbs such as thyme and oregano help reduce your sodium intake and may help you reduce fat consumption according to the University of Colorado Extension website. Herbs also provide vital phytonutrients, which help to fight cell damage from free radicals. Both fresh and dried herbs offer anti-inflammatory benefits as well, which can protect your heart and reduce diabetes symptoms.

Types

While fresher herbs offer the greatest health benefits, dried herbs may be more practical in some types of recipes. For example, the University of Michigan Health Center recommends using dried tumeric or dried cayenne pepper to maximize the flavor and aroma of these herbs. The Center also suggests using fresh garlic and fresh ginger to enjoy the benefits these herbs offer over their dried counterparts. When it comes to some herbs, like peppermint, both fresh and dried varieties offer similar flavor and benefits.

View FREE video “Dry vs. Fresh Herbs”, click here >> http://goo.gl/1f85D.

How to Use

Because of the difference in potency between fresh and dried herbs, they must be added at different times during cooking to enjoy maximum benefits. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln website suggests waiting until your meal is nearly cooked before adding fresh herbs like basil, dill or parsley. Less-delicate fresh herbs like oregano, thyme or rosemary can be added 20 minutes before the meal is finished cooking.

Dried herbs take longer to release their flavor, and must be added earlier in the cooking process.

Substitutions and Storage

According to the University of Nebraska Lincoln, one tablespoon of fresh herbs is equivalent to 1 tsp. of dried, crumbled herbs or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of ground dried herbs.

While dried varieties offer the maximum convenience for year-round cooking, they must be replaced once a year. After about a year of storage, the herbs lose most of their flavor and potency, which in turn reduces their health benefits. Keep all herbs away from sunlight, moisture and air to prolong flavor and potency.

View the complete article at LiveStrong, click here >> http://goo.gl/MO1cn. 

Call this week for a reservation or stop by Tryst Café – Desert Ridge Marketplace, by the Starbucks on Tatum (north of the 101), for a fresh breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Voted BEST NEW Restaurant by PHOENIX Magazine! As Desert Ridge’s best restaurant, the Tryst Café restaurant takes great pleasure in providing a unique, tasty and visually tantalizing organic, healty and amazingly delicious menu while creating a very warm, hospitable atmosphere with live music on Monday evenings. Join us for breakfast, lunch or dinner; dine-in or take-out!

Make a reservation for dine-in at 480-585-7978.

Order amazing take-out by phone or fax, for menu click here >> http://goo.gl/P6bOV.

Map and Directions, Tryst Cafe at 21050 N. Tatum Blvd, just across the street (west) from Desert Ridge Marketplace at the SR101, (by Starbucks). For map and directions, click here >>  http://g.co/maps/gxkc9.

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