3X why fresh herbs are sometimes better than dried herbs
You may have thought this when you considered starting a vegetable garden with your own fresh herbs: but I also have the dried version of these herbs, nice and easy in a jar? And indeed, not everyone has a vegetable garden with fresh herb plants, but most people have at least ten jars of dried herbs in their kitchen cupboard. However, fresh herbs and dried herbs are certainly not the same, so we explain below why you also want fresh herbs in your kitchen.
Fresh herbs are a true taste bomb
A big advantage of fresh herbs is that they have a strong flavour, which is released immediately. This is ideal when you want to put a quick meal on the table and don't have time to let your dish stew for half an hour. You can perfectly add fresh herbs to your dish at the last minute and still enjoy the rich taste, while dried herbs take a while to add flavour to your dish.
Some herbs lose their flavour when dried
Besides the fact that it takes longer for dried herbs to give flavor to your dish, some herbs are simply less suitable for drying. Herbs such as basil, peppermint, chives and dill contain many 'volatile' flavour components that are almost completely lost in the drying process. This is of course a great shame for these herbs, which are normally known for their strong, characteristic flavours. It is therefore better to have a plant of these herbs on your windowsill!
With a herbal plant you are never without herbs
You might know it: you are making your favorite pasta sauce and only need to add some Italian herbs as a finishing touch. And then… your jar of Italian herbs turns out to be empty! This is a problem that you will not encounter when using fresh herb plants. If you take good care of your plant and put it in a sunny spot, it will last a very long time. When you harvest your fresh herbs in the right way, the plant will also grow again!