Hello again… Charlene here.
Have you taken a close look at your spice rack lately?
If it is like mine, it is chock full of all kinds of spices, rubs, melange’s and herbs.
After having a casual conversation with a friend of mine about natural spices and herbs and how some of them have “Super Healing Powers” I figured I had better investigate a little further on this matter!
So here goes…
I found 9 spices (with the help of some “googling”) that I thought were worth talking about.
Here they are:
- Cinnamon – Nutritional powerhouse, keeps cells safe from oxidative stress and dangerous free radicals with its antioxidant properties.
- Sage – This spice helps with memory and mood. In a study where healthy young volunteers were exposed to sage oil, they tended to remember things better and also felt more alert.
- Turmeric – Used in Indian Ayuvedic medicine for millenia (that is a fancy for for “forever” LOL) it is packed full of a super powerful antioxidant that in test tube / animal studies to fend of cancer growth, amyloid plaque development among other benefits.
- Thyme – Sure, this is one aromatic addition to any meal, but it has amazing antimicrobial properties as well. Thyme oil is a decontaminate, and had been shown to be effective against Shigella as well as staph and E. coli.
- Ginger – You may be familiar with how Ginger is used in both ancient / modern medicine for stomach settling properties. In more recent studies it has been shown to also help quiet nausea, speed up the process of food going through the digestive tract as well as protect against gastric ulcers!
- Rosemary – Ancient Greeks associated Rosemary with memory… back then students would wear a sprig of it in their hair while preparing for a big exam. One of the components of Rosemary is Carnosic acid, which is thought to protect the brain from free radical damage which lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s and stroke.
- Saffron – Yes, the most expensive spice in the world! Grown mainly in the Middle East, it has been found to have antidepressant properties similar to Prozac, but without the side effects!
- Basil – Yes, the favorite Italian food spice! This spice comes from India where it is traditionally used for asthma, stress and diabetes. Basil is a natural COX inhibitor which means it is great for people with arthritis.
- Chili Peppers – Capsaicin which is the active ingredient in peppers is a great topical pain reliever for headaches, arthritis and other chronic pain problems.
Do you have any other spices and herbs that you enjoy cooking with that also have amazing health benefits?
Feel free to share them with everyone in the comments section below.
The article I found that talked about this is located here.
(http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/9-spices-super-healing-powers)
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