5 tips for buying and storing spices
Spices are a vital part of healthy cooking and some even have medicinal properties. Here's how to build and maintain your spice rack
Most of the flavour and aroma of spices comes from oils and these are quite volatile. So keeping your spices fresh is all about keeping these oils locked in.
1. Buy small quantities at a time. Large budget packs seem cheaper but it’s a false economy if you end up with stale ingredients.
2. Spices don’t have to be kept in the dark, but do avoid direct sunlight and store in a cool, dry part of the kitchen. Heat and light break down all-important oils, affect the flavour and also degrade the antioxidants.
3. Ignore the best-before dates; the easiest way to tell if a spice is still potent is to have a sniff. If it’s pleasant and pungent, it’s OK to use. Don’t do this with chilli though!
4. This may sound pedantic, but it's best to store your spices in alphabetical order. When a cupboard is full of jars and packets, it’s difficult to see what you’ve got. This will help you avoid buying duplicate packets.
5. The best way to buy spices is to get them whole, then grind them as needed—the flavour and aroma of whole spices tend to be more stable. You can use a mortar and pestle or a spice/coffee grinder for this.
Don't miss out! Sign up for our free weekly newsletters and get nutritious recipes, healthy weight-loss tips, easy ways to stay in shape and all the health news you need, delivered straight to your inbox.
HealthSmart, August/September 2009
