Spices have been used throughout the world for thousands of years, and there are many to chose from, and I’m sure you probably have your favorites, but spices go beyond just adding flavor to your meals, they also boast amazing health benefits.

I’m going to list my top spicy choices and give a little detail on how these common seasonings can pack a powerful punch!

Cinnamon

• Less than a 1/2 teaspoon per day can help to reduce elevated blood sugar levels
• Inhibits the release of arachidonic acid, an inflammatory fatty acid
• The smell of cinnamon enhances the brain’s mental processing capabilities, including memory, attention, and visual – motor speed
• Can help lower cholesterol levels, particularly in people who suffer from type 2 diabetes
• In Traditional Chinese Medicine cinnamon is used to provide relief from colds and flu

I have loved cinnamon for as long as I can remember, the smell, the taste, and now that I know how good it is for health I love it even more! I sprinkle it on my porridge every morning and add it to homemade curry sauces, you could even sprinkle it on popcorn.

Keeping blood sugar stable, by avoiding highly processed foods that cause a rapid rise followed by an equally shape drop in energy levels, is key to controlling weight and losing excess body fat. Cinnamon offers this benefit, even in very small doses.

Turmeric

• Turmeric protects the cardiovascular system by lowering the fatty cholesterol levels
• Aids fat metabolism
• Reduces inflammation
• Is a powerful antioxidant
• May help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by removing plaque build-up in the brain

Turmeric contains an oily substance called curcumin (sounds similar to but is not the same as cumin), which gives turmeric it’s vibrant color and many health benefits. Turmeric is most commonly found in curry powder. I use it when making homemade curry or sometimes add a little to salads.

Ginger

• Reduces your risk of cancer
• Alleviates pain caused by arthritis
• Decreases blood pressure
• Offers relief from motion sickness
• Used in the treatment and prevention of colds and flu
• When taken as a tea, can be used to relieve heartburn

Ginger is also said to be of benefit to aging skin, by restoring lost elasticity. Ginger can be used fresh from ginger root or dried in powder form. I mostly use freshly grated ginger root in stir fries or smoothies or use the powder if I’m making some homemade bread.

Cayenne Pepper

• Helps remove toxins from the body through sweating
• Helps boost metabolism and burn fat
• Rich in Vitamin C
• Helps fight high blood pressure
• Improves circulation

Cayenne pepper is quite a hot spice, but it is this heat producing ability that is key to boosting metabolism and removing toxins from the body. Depending on how much you use, the body temperature rises and causes us to sweat, aiding in toxin removal. You only need a small amount to benefit from it’s healthy fat burning properties, but you may find yourself gradually adding more to your food. I use cayenne pepper mostly in the sweet potato soup I make and sprinkle it into omelettes while mixing the eggs.

Black Pepper

• Black pepper is a powerful antioxidant
• Reduces inflammation
• Improves bioavailability – increases the absorption of nutrients to all tissues of the body, helping you get the most from what you eat
• Aids digestion – promotes release of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, needed for proper digestion
• Helps with weight loss – the outer layer of the peppercorn contains substances that can boost fat metabolism
• Natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties

I saved the best to last here, black pepper is a truly outstanding spice! I am addicted to black pepper, I put it on everything. Not only does it enhances the flavor of the food you add it too, it is actually helping you absorb the healthy vitamins and minerals you are supposed to be getting from your food, but may not be able to due to carrying too many toxins, being stressed, run down or poor food quality, such as processed foods that claim all the health benefits of the “foods” they contain but have been destroyed in the heavy processing used.

Be sure to buy peppercorns and freshly ground them as needed with a pepper mill to get the best effect, as the outter layer of the peppercorn contains many health benefits too.

Black pepper extract, bioperine, is now being used in many dietary vitamins to boost absorption and insure you are getting the benefits of the nutrients they contain.

My Thoughts On Spices

As a rule I believe eating fresh, unprocessed food is the best way to looking and feeling great, but to every rule there is always an exception, and spices are definitely the exception to this rule, sometimes the dried version is actually the better choice.

My menu is made up of loads of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, some grains like oats, quinoa and buckwheat, and lots of water. Adding spices allows me to benefit from their health giving properties and enhance the benefits of the other foods I’m eating.

Adding these 5 spices alone to your diet can help:

• boost your health
• speed your metabolism
• remove toxins
• keep you mentally healthy
• elevate mood
• and burn fat

What more could you ask for? And you don’t even have to leave the table to do it!

This entry was posted on June 2, 2010 at 8:30 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Diet Fresh Tips by davidgowing No Comments Yet