6 Spices You Should Start Eating for Their Health Benefits
You already know that spices make your food taste great, but did you know that many of them can actually improve your health?
Spices can help you live a healthier lifestyle by livening up your food and making you less likely to use unhealthy sugar and salt. Additionally, many spices have extra health boosting properties and can be used to fight and prevent disease.
Ginger
Remember when your mom let you have ginger ale on the days you stayed home sick from school? That’s because ginger has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for nausea. It is also thought to act as a soothing agent for cancer patients undergoing treatment and pregnant women suffering from morning sickness. Ginger may also help to reduce inflammation for sufferers of osteoarthritis.
Try mixing up a batch of this Immune Boosting Ginger Tea with honey and lemon to improve digestion and reduce pain and inflammation.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon This comforting, sweet spice may make you think of holiday treats and the warm smells of fall, but cinnamon has actually been used for thousands of years for its impressive health benefits.
Cinnamon is loaded with polyphenol antioxidants, and has been used to fight inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, and lower blood sugar.
Sprinkle a little on your coffee or mash up some Cinnamon Applesauce to help you benefit from its healing properties.
Garlic
Garlic is one of the quickest ways to boost flavor in your food, from pasta sauce to roast chicken, and may also be one of the quickest ways to boost your immune system.
Garlic is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, which could be helpful in lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, as well as reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Consumption of garlic and garlic supplements has been thought to reduce frequency and duration of colds.
Check out this easy Garlic Marinara Sauce the next time you’re craving pasta for dinner.
Peppermint
Another spice known for its distinctive taste in festive treats, peppermint is also frequently used to soothe and treat several digestive issues, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome, upset stomach, indigestion, and colic in infants.
Peppermint is also an ingredient used in pain-relieving muscle creams and a few drops of peppermint oil may help reduce stress when added to a bath.
Bring this Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Bark to your next holiday gathering for a festive dessert loaded with hidden health benefits.
Saffron
Saffron is most commonly known for adding its unique flavor and yellow coloring to rice dishes such as paella.
Historically, this spice has been used by ancient civilizations to treat over 90 disorders and scientists continue to study its impressive nutritional profile impact on medical treatments today.
It contains crocin and carotenoids which some say can fight cancer. Saffron is also known for its potential antibacterial, antifungal, and anti inflammatory properties. Saffron can also be used in numerous ways to help keep skin bright and healthy.
Check out this yummy Saffron Rice recipe when you need to spruce up a side dish!
Though 90% of saffron comes from Iran, you can buy saffron online easily at Zaffrus.
Cayenne
Cayenne pepper is frequently used to spice up chili and other foods, thanks to the heat producing chemical, capsaicin.
Cayenne may be useful to increase metabolism and lower high cholesterol, and is also known to be used to reduce pain sensations, including toothaches, joint, nerve, and migraine pain.
Cayenne could also have an positive impact on the digestive system and support detox in the body.
Don’t be afraid to kick up the heat with this Spicy Chili Recipe!