Know the various health benefits of everyday spices and herbs

Technically speaking, spices are vegetables in concentrated form, and like veggies, they contain thousands of healthy compounds, including antioxidants, with the added perk that it is calorie-free and require minimal to no preparation depending on whether you are using it fresh or dried.

February 19, 2018

Nadia Bradbury 2 minutes read

POLOKWANE – Herbs and spices also make food tastier while boosting health and therefore it is of great benefit to cook with it on a regular basis to enhance the taste of dishes while promoting health.

Adding herbs and spices to your diet are also beneficial because it is extremely flavourful and therefore makes it easier to cut back on less healthy ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat.

Cardamom: This is a sweet, pungent spice and is known to soothe an upset stomach. It can also fight inflammation, lower blood pressure and play a role in preventing the growth of cancer cells. It is also high in minerals like magnesium and zinc.

Chili peppers: Fresh, dried, or powdered, chilies will give your food a kick and can boost your metabolism and help keep blood vessels healthy.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is great because it’s sweet but very low in calories and sugar-free plus, it’s easy to find and not expensive, and you can add it to almost anything, including coffee and tea.

It can also help with inflammation, fight bacteria and even protect against conditions that affect your brain or nervous system.

Cocoa: You may think of cocoa as the key ingredient in chocolate, but it’s a spice with many health perks. The cocoa bean is chock-full of flavonoids, which are antioxidants that have been shown to boost heart health.

Cumin: Used worldwide and known as a key ingredient in many Indian dishes, cumin is naturally rich in iron and can even play a role in weight loss.

Garlic: It may lower your chances of getting heart disease and it may even help stop the growth of cancer cells. But to get the benefits, you have to chop or crush the clove as allicin is formed only after the cells in the garlic have been cut or crushed.

Ginger: Ginger can help with an upset stomach and has a calming effect on the lining of your digestive system. it can also ease nausea.

Rosemary: An ultra-fragrant herb, rosemary is rich in antioxidants that prevent cell damage and it is said even sniffing it may be good for you.

Turmeric. This yellow spice gets a lot of hype, and for good reason. It’s a good source of curcumin, an antioxidant that eases inflammation. Research suggests curcumin may help ease pain and lower the chances of heart attacks. Other research shows eating even small amounts of turmeric regularly may help prevent or slow down Alzheimer’s disease, possibly by helping prevent the brain plaques that lead to dementia.