There’s a simple habit that does more for your health than most supplements combined. It costs next to nothing. It takes ten seconds. And it makes every dish better. A handful of fresh herbs on top.
Parsley over soup. Basil on tomatoes. Chives on eggs. Purslane in salads. Rosemary with meat. It’s always been this way — and science is now explaining why our ancestors were right.
What’s in fresh herbs — more than you think
Herbs are not just flavor enhancers. They are highly concentrated nutrient powerhouses — a small bunch of parsley contains more vitamin C per gram than an orange, more iron than spinach, more vitamin K than most vegetables.
The secret lies in the secondary plant compounds (these are protective and active substances that the plant itself produces). Herbs form these substances in exceptionally high concentrations — because they are small and photosynthesize intensely, and because they must actively protect themselves against pests, UV radiation, and fungal diseases. All these protective substances also benefit us when we eat them.
The Federal Centre for Nutrition confirms: Herbs contain a diverse cornucopia of ingredients — especially essential oils (volatile aromatic compounds that have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects) and secondary plant compounds such as sulfides, glucosinolates (sulfur-containing compounds with detoxifying effects), monoterpenes (aromatic compounds from essential oils), healthy bitter substances, and tannins.
The most important culinary herbs — and what they can really do
Parsley — the underestimated nutrient marvel
Parsley is the most widely used culinary herb in German-speaking countries — and also one of the most nutrient-rich. Just a small handful contains more vitamin C than an orange. It also contains iron, vitamin K — crucial for blood clotting and bone health — and beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A).
The apigenin in parsley — a flavonoid (a secondary plant compound from the group of pigments) — has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (protecting cells from aggressive oxygen molecules). And myristicin — an essential oil — stimulates the liver to produce glutathione, the body's most important detoxification molecule.
Tip: Always use parsley fresh and raw or add it at the end of cooking — heat destroys vitamin C and the volatile essential oils.
Basil — more than just a tomato herb
Basil contains essential oils such as linalool, citral, and eugenol, which have strong anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and even pain-relieving effects. The anti-inflammatory effect of basil is comparable to that of Cox-2 inhibitors — conventional anti-inflammatory drugs used for chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
Additionally, basil contains cineol — an active ingredient with expectorant and antibacterial properties that can relieve respiratory conditions.
Chives — the Vitamin K champion
Just 15 grams of chives — a small handful — would be enough to cover the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K. Vitamin K is not only responsible for blood clotting — recent research shows its central role in bone health and possibly in protecting the coronary arteries.
Like all onion plants, chives contain sulfides (sulfur-containing compounds) that, similar to allicin in garlic, have antibacterial and heart-protective effects.
Rosemary — the memory herb
Rosmarinic acid and carnosol — two active ingredients in rosemary — are considered strong antioxidants. Rosemary also contains 1,8-cineole (also known as eucalyptol), which has been shown to improve memory performance — even simply inhaling its scent showed measurable effects on concentration in studies.
Thyme — the natural antibiotic
Thymol — the main active ingredient in thyme — is one of the strongest natural antiseptics (germ-killing substances) known to us. Thyme has antibacterial, antiviral, and expectorant properties. It has been the herb of choice for respiratory infections for centuries — and science confirms what traditional medicine always knew.
Purslane — the Omega-3 marvel almost no one knows about
This is perhaps the most surprising chapter in the history of herbs.
Purslane — a small, succulent (water-storing) herb with thick, juicy leaves that grows as a so-called weed in many gardens — is the most Omega-3-rich plant we know in Central Europe. Not flaxseed. Not chia seeds. Purslane.
Omega-3 fatty acids (essential, polyunsaturated fatty acids that the body cannot produce itself) have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects and improve blood flow properties. They can prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Purslane also contains vitamin C, vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, and E — as well as minerals like magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and iron, along with flavonoids (secondary plant compounds with antioxidant effects) and mucilage, which protects the gastrointestinal tract.
In nutrient-rich soils, purslane can form stems up to half a meter long with juicy, round leaves — and the richer the soil, the more omega-3 and flavonoids it contains.
Purslane tastes slightly sour and salty — it goes well in salads, as herb pesto, as a spinach substitute, or finely chopped in dips and quark. And its small yellow flowers are very popular with bees — a direct Brix value indicator (high pollinator attractiveness signals high nutrient density). You can read more about it here.
The story of the organic herb farmer — and why white powder is not a pesticide
Here's a story we know from practice.
An organic herb farmer in our region has a problem that many herb producers know — but hardly anyone talks about openly. The third cut gets difficult.
For the first cut, the herb plants are young, vital, and strong. For the second cut, they still recover well. But by the third cut — after several harvest-stress cycles — the plants are weakened. The Brix value drops. The cell walls become thinner. And that's exactly when pests appear.
This is no coincidence. It's plant physiology: a stressed plant with a low Brix value is an invitation for aphids, spider mites, and fungal spores. We've described this in every one of our articles on fruits and vegetables — with garlic, with strawberries, with broccoli. The same principle applies to herbs.
The herb farmer found a solution: He sprays with Grünkraft Zeolith Pur — the finest silicate particles (mineral particles from zeolite) that form a physical protective film on the leaves. The particles act mechanically as a natural repellent against pests. No active ingredient. No chemicals. Just physics. To tell the whole story, he also sprinkles carbonated lime afterwards.
But then comes the problem: customers see the fine mineral film on the herbs and ask worriedly. "Is that sprayed?" — "What is that on the leaves?" — "I thought this was organic?" For our herb farmer customer, it's not funny at all.
It is organic. It is mineral. It is zeolite — the same mineral approved in Austria as a feed additive for horses and dogs, used in the food industry as an anti-caking agent, and approved by the EU as food additive E554.
The white film on the herbs is not a pesticide. It is a natural mineral rock that strengthens and protects the plant — and washes off by itself with the next rain. The misunderstanding is understandable. But it is exactly the opposite of the truth. A herb farmer who sprays zeolite protects his plants without chemicals — that is the essence of organic farming.
How zeolite and lime help the herb plant with the third cut
At the third cut, the plant is weakened because it has already invested its energy and nutrients in the harvest twice. The soil around the roots is emptier than at the beginning of the season. This is exactly where two complementary measures come into play.
The herb farmer sprinkles lime — and that's no coincidence. Lime increases the pH value of the soil and improves the availability of calcium, phosphorus, and trace elements that remain bound in acidic soil. A stable pH value is the basic prerequisite for the plant to absorb nutrients at all — no matter how much is present in the soil. This is particularly important for depleted soils after several cuts, because nutrient availability has further decreased due to harvesting stress.
Grünkraft Zeolith Pur as a foliar spray works on another level — directly via the leaf and immediately. The tribomechanically activated silicate particles (finest mineral particles that are electrostatically charged through a high-speed process) form a physical protective film on the leaf surface. This film works in two ways simultaneously: Firstly, mechanically as a repellent — insects with tactile organs in their legs find the particles unpleasant and avoid the plant. Secondly, the silicon from the zeolite brings an important substance directly into the leaf tissue, activating the plant's own defense enzymes — substances that neutralize free radicals and increase the plant's stress resistance.
So, lime stabilizes from below — via the soil and the root. Zeolite protects from above — via the leaf and the leaf surface. Both together help the weakened herb plant through the third cut — without chemicals, without pesticides, without residues.
Growing herbs that really work — the practical program
Anyone who wants to grow herbs that unleash their full potential of essential oils (volatile aromatic compounds), flavonoids (secondary plant compounds with protective effects), and vitamin C starts with the soil — and works their way up from there.
Prepare soil — once annually: BODENKRAFT Carbonated Lime stabilizes the pH value in the optimal range for herbs. A balanced pH value is the basic prerequisite for all minerals present in the soil to actually be absorbed by the roots. Work it shallowly into the soil once a year in spring or autumn.
Activate soil life — every week: Add AM+PLUS Microorganisms (living soil bacteria from organic Austrian herbs) to the watering can. The soil microbiome makes bound minerals available to plants — and it is precisely these minerals that flow into the essential oils and secondary plant compounds of the herbs.
From the first shoot — every 10-14 days: Grünkraft Calcium as a foliar spray delivers CO₂ directly to the leaf for intensive photosynthesis and calcium for stable cell walls. More photosynthesis means more energy for the formation of essential oils, flavonoids, and vitamins. The difference is directly noticeable in the scent — treated herbs smell more intense because they contain more of these very substances. Available in a 650g can and a 10kg bag.
From the second cut — build up a protective film: Spray Grünkraft Zeolith Pur parallel to Grünkraft Calcium. The silicate film on the leaf surface mechanically protects the weakened plant against pests — without chemicals, without residues, without customers having to wonder what's on the herbs. It's mineral. It's organic. And it washes off by itself with the next rain.
At the third cut — continue spraying consistently: Use Grünkraft Zeolith Pur more frequently than in the first cuts — the protective film is now particularly important because the plant is weakened and pests know this. Continue with Grünkraft Calcium every 10-14 days — the direct CO₂ supply via the leaf helps the exhausted plant regenerate faster than if it were solely dependent on the soil.
All products for the herb garden in our garden collection.
Tip for planting — GARDENKRAFT and BODENKRAFT PLUS Water Storage Pellets
Before planting seedlings or young plants, a simple step makes a difference all summer long.
Add a handful of GARDENKRAFT organic pellets directly into the planting hole and mix well with the soil. GARDENKRAFT are lime pellets with zeolite and thus a natural nutrient and water reservoir — it stores nutrients in its fine mineral channels and only releases them when the plant truly needs them. This means: no leaching during heavy rain, no nutrient deficiency during dry spells, and a more active soil microbiome that invigorates the roots.
For containers, pots, and raised beds — wherever water retention is especially important — combine GARDENKRAFT with two handfuls of BODENKRAFT PLUS water-retaining pellets directly around the roots. Vermiculite (a natural layered mineral that develops a sponge-like structure when heated) and zeolite together can store up to fifty times their own weight in water and release it evenly and as needed. This significantly extends watering intervals — particularly valuable on hot summer days or if you couldn't water for a couple of days.
Both products are 100% natural, vegan, and leave no residue.
GARDENKRAFT and BODENKRAFT PLUS water-retaining pellets can be found in our garden collection.
Why fresh herbs belong in every meal — a brief summary
Fresh herbs are the simplest and most affordable form of dietary supplement available. They provide secondary plant compounds in a highly concentrated form — substances that are present in much lower concentrations in vegetables and fruits.
A handful of parsley contains more vitamin C than an orange. A sprig of rosemary provides more antioxidants than many capsules from a health food store. And purslane — the weed that grows between paving stones — is the most omega-3-rich plant in Central Europe.
The only condition: the herbs must truly be nutrient-rich. And that — as always — depends on the soil. Herbs that grow in mineral-rich, living soils have more essential oils, more flavonoids, more secondary plant compounds. They smell more intensely. They taste more. And they protect more.
The Brix value decides — even for herbs.
What the Brix value is and how it measures nutrient density — in the Brix article with Reams table.
Why soil health determines the nutrient density of all foods — in the article on minerals and depleted soils.
How Grünkraft Zeolith Pur acts as a physical protective film — in the FAQ on Grünkraft Calcium.
All products for the garden in our garden collection.
All products for agriculture (larger containers) in our agriculture collection. 💚
Sources: Federal Center for Nutrition BZfE, Culinary Herbs and Health | AOK Magazin, Purslane and Omega-3 | Zentrum der Gesundheit, Culinary Herbs Ingredients | Every Foods, Fresh Herbs Nutrients 2025 | MedLexi.de, Purslane Medicinal Plant Portrait | Krautgeschwister.de, Purslane 2024 | steinkraft-naturerocks.com, own practical experience organic herb farmer
