How Long Does it Take For Plants to Lose Vitamins?

[Datel]

How quickly do the nutrients in wild herbs / plants deplete after picking?

So when you harvest them, e.g. Dandelions, groundweed, nettles and just put them in some container at home or on a plate they will get dry after one, two days, a week or so. But does that mean they lose (many) nutrients or aroma only?

 

[Lou]

I don't know if this has been studied, but I imagine it has been. If you are really curious you should do some googling or maybe ask a scientist.
I can tell you that if it's like most other plants they start losing nutrients right away. Most plants lose a lot of their nutrients within a week.
You'll get the most amount of nutrients if you consume them as soon as you get home.

BTW, this is why some people recommend frozen veggies - even over fresh. Nowadays many veggies are frozen the same day as they are harvested minimizing nutrient loss. The veggies in the produce aisle are at least a few days old.

How Long Can Plants Preserve Their Post-Harvest Vitamin Values?

With city life, it is difficult and costly to go out and order quality fresh products every day.

www.millawanda.com

 

[Datel]

Yes, asking scientists / experts really is a great idea. If only I knew some. Then I probably never had to ask anywhere else, not even in forums. That would be amazing and extremely easy.

I can tell you that if it's like most other plants they start losing nutrients right away. Most plants lose a lot of their nutrients within a week.

But isn't drying up to a temperature of about 42! supposed to keep dried products for a very long time and retain their nutrients? That would have to mean that drying can only be used to a very limited extent. Or drying would lose many nutrients.

You'll get the most amount of nutrients if you consume them as soon as you get home.

Yes, that would be the best indeed, I guess. But what if you wanted to store/preserve them so you wouldn't have to harvest plants before every meal. I think I needed a garden. And a gardener...and a cook...

BTW, this is why some people recommend frozen veggies - even over fresh. Nowadays many veggies are frozen the same day as they are harvested minimizing nutrient loss. The veggies in the produce aisle are at least a few days old.

Yes, I assume, the old veggies in stores / supermarkets / discounters that are often rotting here aren't all that good anyway. Maybe organic products anyway are better than frozen ones. Maybe sometimes they are, some times they aren't.

Many thanks for the link!

 

[Lou]

Yes, asking scientists / experts really is a great idea. If only I knew some. Then I probably never had to ask anywhere else, not even in forums. That would be amazing and extremely easy.

Well, I love your questions but there are some pretty easy ways to get expert opinions. My first stop is the main library's reference librarian. S/he can usually point you in the right direction. They might even tell you about a lecture you can attend. Also you could get the directory to the local college and send an email to the Botany department. Or. if you are in an HMO you can just email the Registered Dietician they have there.

But isn't drying up to a temperature of about 42! supposed to keep dried products for a very long time and retain their nutrients? That would have to mean that drying can only be used to a very limited extent. Or drying would lose many nutrients.

Yes. I'm pretty sure you are right about that. Also I think you should dry them when they are still fresh.
(or can them or freeze them)

Silva International | Dried and Delicious: The Health Benefits of…

Even if you never leave the comforts of town, dried vegetables and fruit are in many of the foods you eat, and they can be extremely good for you. With nearly the same nutritional value as fresh food, a longer shelf life, and a lower price tag, dried fruits and veggies could be just the ticket to…

silva-intl.com

Yes, that would be the best indeed, I guess. But what if you wanted to store/preserve them so you wouldn't have to harvest plants before every meal. I think I needed a garden. And a gardener...and a cook...

That first link I included was promoting gardening. You were asking about "Dandelions, groundweed, nettles". That is more inline with foraging. So best results would be to dry them as soon as you get home.

also you can grow some spices and herbs on the balcony or in a window sill. that makes a lot of sense with the smaller ones that are also pretty pricey.

Yes, I assume, the old veggies in stores / supermarkets / discounters that are often rotting here aren't all that good anyway. Maybe organic products anyway are better than frozen ones. Maybe sometimes they are, some times they aren't.

the article points out that it takes a few days for the veggies to get to the store. Then a few days could pass before you buy them. and then maybe a few more days till you use them. With each passing day more nutrients are lost.
I'm not sure who said it first, but time is of the essence.

Many thanks for the link!

 

[Datel]

Well, I love your questions but there are some pretty easy ways to get expert opinions. My first stop is the main library's reference librarian. S/he can usually point you in the right direction. They might even tell you about a lecture you can attend. Also you could get the directory to the local college and send an email to the Botany department. Or. if you are in an HMO you can just email the Registered Dietician they have there.

Thank you, I love your answers very much as well. Yes, these are really good thoughts. I am not quite sure at the moment, it turned out for me, writing to experts / scientists / some organization regarding such questions is quite easy, indeed, but might need a very long time to get an answer and the answer might be of a kind that causes more questions / inconsistencies and so on. A lecture (on YouTube or in reality) might be very interesting, but a bit time consuming / maybe not so efficient to get the answer to a single question. I do not know what a HMO is, but I guess I am not in one.

Also I think you should dry them when they are still fresh.

Yes, the earlier the better. The herbs (mint, thyme, rosemary, etc.) I had were dried automatically in a few days, without a dryer, just by lying in the kitchen. That's why I asked myself whether / how much nutrients were lost in the process. Especially in comparison to drying with a dryer (which causes far more air movement, which in turn could perhaps cause more nutrients to be lost than the "automatic" drying nearly without air movement). But, yes, be that as it may, in both versions and others time destroys nutrients.

also you can grow some spices and herbs on the balcony or in a window sill. that makes a lot of sense with the smaller ones that are also pretty pricey.

Yes, one should actually consider that. There are these herbs in flower pots, e.g. rosemary, obviously easily to handle (unless one would often be away from home for too long periods of time and wouldn't be able to water the plants), very cheap.

Many thanks again for the great link!

 

[jayjeeoh]

How quickly do the nutrients in wild herbs / plants deplete after picking?

So when you harvest them, e.g. Dandelions, groundweed, nettles and just put them in some container at home or on a plate they will get dry after one, two days, a week or so. But does that mean they lose (many) nutrients or aroma only?

All plants that humans ingest, lose nutrients through the "rust" process common to all things. In food terms, science refers to this as oxidation. Over time there's likely little remaining of substance. However, there is still fibre, to help push down and out, what's remaining in the tubes, which, is why so many on the SAD diet, Keto & carnivore diets succumb to bowl caner, colorectal and other cancers, whose carriers had a diet pretty much devoid of fibre, alas.

 

[Datel]

Over time there's likely little remaining of substance.

Substance is nutrients? How long would that time be?

However, there is still fibre, to help push down and out, what's remaining in the tubes

Sorry, I do not understand, what does that mean?