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- HEALTH -
If you’re looking to round out your healthy lifestyle, you’ll want to stock up on the following herbs and spices and use them generously in your cooking, or use them on their own to enhance the absorption and benefits received.
When buying spices and herbs organic is best, as it means you’ll be avoiding pesticides and herbicides that find their way into conventionally grown products.
If you’re looking to round out your healthy lifestyle, you’ll want to stock up on the following herbs and spices and use them generously in your cooking, or use them on their own to enhance the absorption and benefits received.
When buying spices and herbs organic is best, as it means you’ll be avoiding pesticides and herbicides that find their way into conventionally grown products.
1. Turmeric
Turmeric provides anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it can be helpful with a long list of conditions and disorders brought about by excessive inflammation. Turmeric can be used as an all-natural way to treat the symptoms of arthritis, and to sooth the digestive system.
But perhaps the most pressing reason to take turmeric is its anti-cancer benefits, backed by promising research that shows turmeric can help you avoid cancer, or stop its progression if you already have it.
Turmeric is most often seen in curries and chutney, and can be seen paired with other spices when more of a blended flavor is desired.
Tastes like: Turmeric has a distinctive flavor to it, and is the primary spice used in many Indian-style curries. On its own it has a tart taste to it, which is why you’ll often see it used with cumin, cardamom, and other spices to help round out the flavor.
2. Rosemary
Rosemary is a boon to the immune system, helping to keep it healthy and functioning properly. Your immune system not only helps you fight short-term dangers like the flu or the common cold, but long-term risks like cancer and other debilitating diseases. It’s vital to provide your body with what it needs to keep the immune system going strong.
Rosemary can also help to improve the circulation of the body, which can help with heart health and the cardiovascular system in general, as well as improving brain function by getting more blood to the brain which requires a good flow of blood to carry on its advanced functions.
If you’ve had some stomach trouble, you may also try using rosemary as a way to help calm down your digestive system.
Tastes like: Rosemary may have you thinking of pine trees, as this is what it most resembles in both aroma and flavor. It has a minty flavor to it behind all of the pine scent. You’ll often see rosemary used to enhance the flavor of chicken and potatoes because it does a good job of permeating the entire dish.
3. Basil
Basil may not be on your health radar because of its classification as an herb and use as an ancillary ingredient, but it’s time to start upping your intake of it. That’s because it is loaded with benefits like shoring up your DNA, calming inflammation, and boosting your cardiovascular health.
It’s odd to think that something as inconspicuous as basil can help protect your body at the cellular level, but that’s what it does.
As if that wasn’t enough, basil acts as an antibacterial agent in the body, removing harmful bacteria, but allowing helpful bacteria to thrive. Consider growing your own basil so you can use it as fresh as can be, and know how it was grown.
Tastes like: The peppery taste of fresh basil is tough to match in the world of herbs and spices. The number one dish that showcases basil’s amazing flavor is pesto, as basil is the primary ingredient. Pesto is a great way to add the goodness of basil to a wide variety of meals.
4. Cumin
Ground cumin deserves a place on your spice shelf not only because of the flavor it provides, but also its health benefits. Among these are digestive benefits, helping to avoid diabetes, and providing much-needed nutrients.
Diabetics should familiarize themselves with cumin because it has been shown to help with several conditions that affect those with diabetes. Of course you’ll always want to check with your doctor before increasing any food or spice, and ask them what is the best diet to follow for your specific situation.
Cumin can help your digestion as well, and provides essential minerals like phosphorus, thiamine, and potassium, which your body needs each day in order to fire on all cylinders.
Tastes like: Most people associate cumin to tacos, because it’s the main ingredient in most taco seasoning packets. Try it on roasted potatoes or any other dish that you want to add a savory flavor to.
5. Nutmeg
You most likely already have nutmeg if you like to bake or make desserts. It’s a spice that shows up on most commonly used spices lists, but few know that it actually provides benefits to the body.
Nutmeg has detoxifying properties, which is why it is used as an ingredient in many detox beverages and cleansing programs. It can spur the liver to expel toxins and helps expunge the kidneys of impurities.
It can also be used to help you fall asleep, and as a natural remedy for many everyday digestive problems that typically get treated with an over-the-counter medication.
Tastes like: The nuttiness of nutmeg is what is most commonly used to describe the way it tastes. But there isn’t a spice out there that tastes exactly like nutmeg. It’s the spice used in eggnog to make it taste the way it does.
6. Saffron
Most of the benefits of saffron are seen when using a saffron extract, and not the saffron you see in stores with seasonings and spices. However, it may be worth taking because of what it may be able to do for you.
For instance, it has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression, as well as menstrual cramping. Clinical depression is a serious condition, so you’d want to explore options with your doctor. PMS symptoms vary from woman to woman, and your doctor is best suited to help you ease menstrual pain and other symptoms.
It has even been shown to help with degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, and has been likened to prescription drugs in terms of its effectiveness. Remember that this is saffron extract, and not the seasoning.
Tastes like: Saffron has a taste that’s hard to pin down, but in most dishes it will add a slight honey-like flavor to the meal. Careful you don’t use too much of it, as this can make things go from sweet to bitter tasting.
7. Ginseng
Ginseng is viewed as a miracle herb in many parts throughout Asia, and there is clinical research to back up this perception in many instances. The most-researched benefit it provides is its ability to bolster the immune system.
A healthy immune system generally means a healthy person overall, all else being equal. It will help you stay healthy while others around you are getting sick, and could help you avoid other diseases and conditions later in life. If you do get sick, your immune system plays a big part in how long you stay sick.
Ginseng may even be able to help you keep your mental focus and improve your concentration, as well as simply helping you to feel better.
Tastes like: Ginseng is often consumed directly for its health benefits, and isn’t renowned for its ability to make a dish taste better. You’ll often find it sold in supplement form or in single-serving packets that you consume daily to get enough of it.
8. Cardamom
Perhaps the biggest reason to start using more cardamom is because of the way it helps with digestion. It can help with symptoms like indigestion, upset stomach, and heartburn, which is great news for those looking for non-medicinal ways to treat common problems like these.
Cardamom has antioxidant properties that help your body battle some of the free radical damage that takes place due to the daily influx of toxins from the food we eat, the beverages we drink, and even the air we breath.
Cardamom can also help you lower your blood pressure as part of a comprehensive approach. That’s because it’s fiber-rich and a diuretic, two factors that contribute to lower blood pressure levels.
Tastes like: There’s nothing else that tastes quite like cardamom, and if you’re a fan of Indian food you’re probably a fan of cardamom. It’s somewhat spicy, but not overly so, and will not be ignored no matter which dish you add it to.
9. Curry
It may be surprising to learn that curry isn’t just a tasty spice mix, it’s also a source of many healthy benefits, and worth adding to your regular spice line-up. Choose your favorite blend, you really can’t go wrong as almost all curry powder is made up of healthy spices.
The reason curry is so beneficial is because it is a conglomeration of many different spices, many of which are featured separately on our list of healthiest spices. In this respect, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Curry powder has been credited with anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as anti-cancer properties.
You don’t have to use curry powder just to make a curry, you can experiment with it and use it in a number of different dishes. Try sprinkling it on a side of vegetables for an instant flavor upgrade as well as nutrition boost.
Tastes like: Curry the dish gets its name from curry the spice, and there are many different ways to create it, with various spices used, and therefore a different resulting flavor. Turmeric is often used, which is why the two spices share so many benefits.
10. Thyme
It may not seem like you’re doing much by adding thyme to your dishes, but you could be adding time to your lifespan with this herb. The antioxidant value of thyme is impressive, and it can provide the same sort of benefits as those foods high in antioxidants, like fruits and vegetables.
It’s important to take in a good amount of antioxidants each day from a variety of foods, as it can help with everything from cancer prevention to heart disease, and adding more thyme to your diet can help protect the cells of your body from damage from free radicals.
Thyme also has anti-microbial properties, which helps to keep the body free of bacteria and harmful fungi that can be a detriment to your overall wellbeing.
Tastes like: Thyme adds an earthy flavor to foods, without stealing all of the attention from the main attraction. Many meatloaf recipes call for thyme, and you’ll see it used in soups, chowders, and as part of a dry rub for meats.