Herbs = Dehydrated Leafy Green Vegetables

I had no idea herbs were such excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, as well as tasting good. They also hold their own in calories per gram. I will start experimenting with lentils and herbs. Any ideas which might work best? Also, how many ounces of herbs per day might be reasonable. I'm thinking about 1 ounce per day, total, if you have enough rice or lentils to go with them. Maybe 2 ounces if a big eater, and you were careful to choose ones that are suitable to take in larger quantities.

Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Basil

Non-Herbs but same idea...
Onion Powder
Curry Powder
Tumeric
Paprika

others?
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/199/2

I'd taste-test, using a small amount at a time. A mouthful of, for example, rosemary or oregano is too much for most of us. Herbs are best used in very small amounts, for seasoning. They're also very pricey in quantity, unless you grow and dry your own.

Speaking of drying your own veggies, chopped frozen spinach dehydrates very easily in dehydrator or oven. Just crumble it up fine afterwards. Voila, plenty of vitamin A, calcium and folic acid to add to your one-dish meals!

I was just checking out herb soup recipes.
I agree that 1 ounce a day might be pushing it.

Great idea with the dried spinach. Thanks.

Spinach flakes = iron

My grandkids call it "grinitch spinach" (from Dr. Seuss' The Sleep Book) and, amazingly, are quite fond of it! I forgot about the iron!

Take a ball of fresh garlic. It does not weigh much, keeps well. Better yet, learn to identify eadible plants in the wild and take a little salad dressing. My favorite is Columbine salad (sorry Coloradians- I do eat your state flower).

Spinach really doesn't have any more iron than other veggies.. while it's fantastically nutritious - the iron content is a myth. (possibly due to an erroneous publication with a misplaced decimal place by a scientist in 1870).. Don't believe me, look it up.

Now having said that.. spinach flakes? hmm.. actually sounds good.. gotta try that.

I consider f.d vegatables and herbs taste treats (for variety) not a nutritional supplement. For "nutrition" I take a multi-vitamin. It is my understanding that drying and preserving reduces the vitamins in vegetables. For trips of less than several weeks, sufficient calories and a food balance that does not mess with my digestion are my main goals. Herbs are spices to me- I really do not consider them "leafy green vegetables". If I really want greens, I forage for wild greens.

I thought it was Popeye who was responsible for promoting the iron in spinach!

W_D, I have read several analyses that the main nutrient destroyed by dehydration or freeze-drying is Vitamin C. Others may be diminished slightly but not nearly to that extent. Of course because we are taking calorie-concentrated food, our backpacking diets don't include enough fruit or veggies, so the supplement is a good idea. One serving of veggies per day does not a balanced diet make!

Yes and no on that one - it is a good source but it is used a bit differently than animal based iron. With plant based iron such as in Spinach and other green foods one must also consume Vitamin C.

Believe me, when you have chronic Anemia (I have had it since I was a couple months along with Walker and still have it with him nearly 14 months old) I eat whatever I can with iron in it. I drink OJ with my prescription iron and that is still not enough. I eat steak 1-2 times a month just for the animal based iron.

But honestly, I love spinach and the vitamins in it are GOOD for you.

Example:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article7071479.ece

And PS: Every woman in child bearing years should be eating a good amount of folate naturally. Spinach is just awesome on that!

I've read (didn't bookmark the source, though) that folate (folic acid) is also important for us oldsters trying to avoid increased "senior moments." It supposedly helps the brain function.

I guess I should have mentioned that while you won't get scurvy on a week's backpack, it's a good idea to take a supplement containing Vitamin C for anything longer. The exception would be if you use an electrolyte drink mix that contains sufficient Vitamin C.

Do not get me wrong! I love vegetables. But given that our backpack food is highly processed, the sure bet for daily vitamins is to take a supplement. My point is that I eat my 5+ servings of vegetables daily most of the year, and going without for a week or so has never compromised my health or energy levels. Electrolyte balance for me is much more important. Cytomax is near the top of my priority list - well above freeze dried vegetables. I prefer vitamins that are naturally a part of high calorie/low weight food, for example, whole grains and nuts. I also have had poor luck with fd fruit and vegetables- high priced and they inevitably end up crushed to dust. Bear cannister requirements certainly alter your backpack diet. Volume and crushability become key factors.

As an fyi a great place to buy herbs, lentils and other backpacking foods is Frontier Coop - www.frontiercoop.com . We buy lots of our food from them.