Spice It Up!

Herbs and spices have been valued for centuries, and for good reason. Not only do spices breathe life into bland, flavorless dishes, but they also breathe life into your body with surprising health benefits!

No, you don't need to go on an Eat, Pray, Love style whirlwind culinary experience to find these healthy spices because they are most likely already on your spice rack. After reading about all these benefits, you'll be ready to spice up your food game and your life, all while feeling better than ever!

by Allyson Mattingly

Cayenne Pepper

If you're looking to add some heat along with health benefits to your diet, look no further than the cayenne pepper. Though a small pepper, the cayenne pepper is mighty in healing properties like helping with migraines, improving digestive health, easing joint pain, clearing congestion, and much more.

Possibly our favorite benefit of cayenne pepper is the fact that it can reduce appetite while boosting metabolism, meaning it's a great spice to introduce to your recipes if you're trying to lose weight. Because of these properties, cayenne is a common ingredient in weight loss supplements! Before you apply with a heavy hand, remember that cayenne is bound to make you breathe fire if you're not accustomed to spicy food, so gradually add it to your diet to build tolerance. Try adding cayenne to your soups for delicious flavor, a dash to sauteed veggies, or to beans for a protein-rich, calorielight snack. Feel the burn!

That's hot!

Turmeric

Turmeric is best known for its vibrant yellow hue and use in Southeast Asian dishes, but it's the health benefits behind this spice that really pack a punch.

Turmeric contains a substance called curcumin, which is a naturally occurring plant compound that offers surprising benefits to both your brain and body! Not only does using turmeric in your cooking reduce inflammation, but it can even improve attention and memory, which can ultimately lead to better spirits. Dementia, anxiety, depression, arthritis, and more diseases can be linked to inflammation, so introducing turmeric to your diet may help you fight these risks.

While you could take turmeric in a pill form, we think adding it to your cooking is just more fun. There are plenty of ways to enjoy turmeric as a spice, but we recommend blending it into a morning smoothie, enjoying a warm golden milk, adding a pinch to your egg (or tofu) scramble, or tossing it with roasted veggies for a delicious kick.

Cinnamon

A favorite household spice since the time of the Silk Road, almost everyone can dig out a jar of cinnamon from their pantry. Sure, it's great for whipping up some mouth-watering cinnamon toast or snickerdoodles, but cinnamon is top of the list when it comes to health benefits. Not only does this popular spice provide heart-healthy benefits like reducing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels, but it really shines in the blood sugar domain.

For those with Type 2 Diabetes or insulin resistance, cinnamon is the perfect spice. While cinnamon isn't a replacement for diabetes medication, it can help lower blood sugar by slowing the breakdown of carbs, and ultimately improve insulin sensitivity. When you're craving a bit of sweetness but don't want to spike your blood sugar, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on some yogurt, oatmeal, or fruit.

Garlic

My favorite way to add flavor: good ol' garlic. The pungent smell may stay on your fingers for days, but the health benefits will stay with you for years! Allicin, the compound responsible for garlic's distinct aroma, is also the reason for most of the spice's health benefits, like combating sickness, protecting heart health, reducing cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. In some regions of the world, people will consume raw garlic to protect against fever and illness, offering a boost to their immune systems.

We especially love garlic for its effects on heart health and highly recommend adding it to your diet if you have high blood pressure or hypertension. Even if you're not a garlic lover (or you're just worried about your breath), you can take garlic supplements that will give you similar benefits.

Next time you're standing in your kitchen, keep calm and garlic on by adding the spice to your roast chicken, mixing in with veggies, or making a delicious, easily-spreadable garlic confit.

Ginger

Ginger provides a range of health benefits that you can enjoy in many forms, though your Moscow mule is probably not the best source.

Ginger is often used in alternative medicine. It's also a fantastic spice for adding to your recipes to help with nausea, bloating, and gas. Eating ginger encourages digestion, so this can relieve nausea from not only overeating but also from pregnancy symptoms, chemotherapy, and seasickness. (It's a common misconception that ginger ale will offer these benefits. While the fizziness can be a help to many, there's little to no ginger in most sodas.)

Ginger tea is a quick and easy way to incorporate ginger into your diet, and you can often find ginger tea bags at your grocery store. Ginger gives you a good zing, so we recommend using it to make tangy salad dressings, offset sweet desserts, or add zest to stir-fry dishes. •

Quickbites:

Parsley - a good source of Vitamin C

Sage - may improve memory/brain function

Fenugreek - improves function of insulin

Rosemary - helps prevent allergies

Basil - packs plenty of antioxidants

Chicory - contains lots of prebiotic fiber

Anise - may protect against stomach ulcers

Chamomile - boosts your immune system

Chives - rich in antioxidants

Sumac - contains healthy fats

Lavender - may help with sleep

Mint - helps with digestive upset

Home Grown

Many herbs and spices undergo changes in not only flavor and texture when dried and ground but also nutritional content. Certain benefit-providing compounds can be reduced by this process. Fortunately, many culinary herbs are very easy to grow so you can have them fresh at hand anytime!

In Kentucky, herbs like basil, mint, sage, lavender, rosemary, parsley, chicory, chives, chamomile, garlic and cayenne peppers grow well outdoors. Small, low-fuss herbs like basil, chives, mint, parsley, rosemary and lavender grow well in well-draining containers in a sunny spot with at least six hours of sun – preferably, a south-facing window. If you don't have a spot like that or when winter comes, supplement sunshine with a grow light.

As a bonus, gardening has tons of health benefits, so you'll be doing yourself – and your wellbeing – a big favor!