6 Ways to Spice Up Your Health

Many of us take spices for granted. We use them every now
and then to season our foods, but we don’t take into account
the wide array of benefits lurking in spice. You should be
adding spices into your food not just for the flavor
enhancements, but also for the healthy properties that
spices provide!

Here are six of the most important spices to include in
your diet:

Cumin

Cumin is a common spice in Mexican food. However, due to
cumin’s healthy property, it is important to figure out how
to add it to meals all the time. Cumin helps digestion and
bloating. It also has phytochemicals that allow the body to
produce enzymes that protect against diseases like cancer.

Garlic

Most people already consume garlic, as it is a common
ingredient in a wide variety of meals. However, no matter
how much garlic you are eating, you should probably consider
adding more to your diet!

Garlic is heart healthy and can lower cholesterol and blood
pressure. Recent studies have led scientists to believe that
garlic inhibits the growth of different cancers as well.

Saffron

Saffron is a spice that improves memory and also fights
cancer. It also a has beneficial impact on the eyes. It may
shield them from damage and prevent eye problems that
occur due to aging.

Turmeric

You are probably familiar with turmeric as it is used in many
Indian cooking. It is also undoubtedly one of the most
powerful spices. Turmeric has been shown to improve
memory and heart health.

There have been a variety of recent studies that have
advocated that the benefits of turmeric are rather
impressive. For example, The University of Missouri found
that curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) decreases
breast tumors. They also found that turmeric could reduce
breast cancer risk in women who use hormone replacement
therapies. Turmeric has also been shown to fight cancerous
polyps.

Ginger

Ginger contains powerful antioxidants. It works remarkably
well in treating nausea. Ginger is also believed to help with
arthritis pain.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a common Thanksgiving spice, but truly it should
be used year-round. Scientists have found that if you add
rosemary to ground beef, it reduces dangerous chemicals that
may cause cancer. Rosemary also hosts anti-inflammatory
properties that boost immunity. It has also been shown to
have a special antioxidant, which protects brain cells from
free radical damage. This property can fight diseases such
as Alzheimer’s.

The trick is to have a lot of spices on hand and experiment
to adding them to all your meals. You may find flavor
combinations that you love, which you may never have even
thought of. Some of these spices, like garlic, ginger, and
turmeric, are even available in supplement form.

Happy cooking,
Jorma Persson