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Super Spices can add more than flavor to your food – they can boost your health and well-being.

Imagine a world without spices.  Cinnamon rolls would be plain dough, curry wouldn’t carry the oomph, gingerbread wouldn’t exist and your vanilla bean latte may as well be water.  From ancient times, spices have been treasured from its medicinal values and then more –they have  been used to embalm bodies,  add flavor to food and peppercorns were once used as a deposit for rents and payments.  Once, only the wealthiest can afford them; now, you can find all kinds of spices in your health or regular grocery stores.

Ancient wisdom was right.  Spices are more than accidentals, a motley bunch of spices you have in your kitchen to spice up your food.  More and more researches are showing the healing powers of spices.  Spices are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients to capture free radicals that are responsible for breaking cells down.

There are all kinds of spices and different cultures may prefer some spices to others.  There are however, 7 super spices that lead the pack:

1.  Oregano

An essential spice in Mediterranean and Italian dishes, this oval-shaped leafy herb has the highest level of antioxidants.  Check this out:  One teaspoon of oregano has as much antioxidant as 3 cups of chopped broccoli.  What’s more?  It is a well-known bacteria buster.  Researchers at the University of Vermont found that a small amount of concentrated oregano extract can destroy the Listeria bacteria.

Since it is jammed packed with antioxidants, oregano is useful in preventing many forms of cancer as well as slowing the aging process.  Now, that’s very good news for anyone.  Its anti-bacterial properties make it a natural treatment for athlete’s food, psoriasis and eczema.

2.  Garlic

Its history traced back to the times of Exodus, when the escaping Israelites lamented the loss of garlic in their nomadic life.  Undoubtedly, garlic is as old as ancient time and Hippocrates noted its medicinal value in 400 BC.  Louis Pasteur reported on its antibacterial capabilities in 1858 and throughout history, garlic has been utilized for its medicinal value.  From lowering cholesterol to boosting immunity, garlic may be the elixir of health.

More recent research at the National Academy of Sciences shows that eating garlic can increase the natural supply of hydrogen sulfide, the antioxidants that can transmit cellular signals and relax blood vessels and increase blood flow. This ability to boost hydrogen sulfide production may explain why a garlic-rich diet is a useful mean of protecting the body against various cancers including breast, prostrate and colon cancer.  According to other health experts, higher hydrogen sulfide may also protect the heart.

3.  Ginger

This knobby root is very versatile and has been used to complement a whole range of dishes ranging from bread to stew.  Flavor aside, ginger has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to soothe nausea, upset stomach and to stop diarrhea.  This is further validated by Japanese researchers who found that gingerol found in ginger may be responsible for blocking the body’s reflex to vomit.  Hence the often used advise– to use a little gingerale to calm a queasy stomachache.

Ginger can also speed up metabolic rate and is effective in reducing osteoarthritis-related knee pain, according to another research. “Ginger improved pain to a degree almost the same as anti-inflammatory medication,” says Roy Altman, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

4.  Tumeric

One of nature’s most powerful healers, this yellow root has been used for 2500 years in India.  First used as a coloring from as early as 600 BC by the Assyrians,  the characteristic yellow color comes from an active ingredient, Curcumin.

A lot of Asian dishes utilize turmeric, particularly curries and not without merit.  Not only does it lend a beautiful yellow tinge to the food, it boosts many medicinal properties.  From preventing cancer to slowing Alzheimer’s disease, turmeric is enjoying increasing renown as a life saver.  It is also anti-inflammatory in nature and is useful in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.  In addition, it aids metabolism and helps weight management as well as acts as a detoxifier and promotes healthy skin.

5.  Cinnamon

It is amazing what a dash of cinnamon can do.  Ask anyone who loves Chai Latte or cinnamon rolls or snickerdoodle.  Cinnamon, often confused with Cassia, is a true native of Sri Lanka.  Regarded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, cinnamon is shown to be effective in regulating sugar levels by increasing insulin’s sensitivity, making it a good spice choice for those with Type II diabetes.   Studies have shown how one teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.  In another study published by U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon is shown to reduce proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

6.  Chili Peppers

Love spicy food?  You are in for more than just a treat.  The active compound, capsaicin found in chili peppers is actually a cache of health benefits. Capsaicin is a crystalline substances found in the highest concentration in the seeds and the fleshy placenta of the chili pod.  It stimulates the brain to release endorphins (the feel-good hormone), hence the state of “high”and well-being experienced by many chili lovers.

Capsaicin has antibacterial properties which may help people with conditions such as stomach ulcer.  It can also intercept pain by reducing substance P, a pain transmitter.  This numbing effect has lent itself to may uses.  Capsaicin has been incorporated in tropical pain killers to treat conditions like herpes (shingle), arthritis and neuralgia.

But the best news of all – capsaicin can improved metabolic rate and increase satiety and promote fat burning.  One study conducted at Maanstricht University in the Netherlands showed that when one consumes an appetizer with half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, it can decrease calorie intake by 10 to 16%.  So don’t forget to dip your chips in salsa, sprinkle paprika in your soup or salad and toss some chili peppers in your food preparation.  It’s all good.

7. Rosemary

A native of the Mediterranean regions, this hardy sun-loving shrub gives off a fragrant pine-like aroma that is refreshingly and woody at the same time.  It contains 2 main active ingredients: caffeic acid and rosemarinic—both powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

It has a long history of medicinal uses and has been used to treat stomach upsets, digestive disorders and headaches. Its invigorating fragrances increase blood flow to the head, sharpening  concentration.  Greek scholars were known to intertwine sprigs of rosemary in their locks to help them commit their studies to memory.   Recent researches reveal that it can prevent cancer and age-related skin damage, boost the functioning of liver and help reduce swelling.

There you have it—7 super spices to spice up your food and life.  No additional fat or calories, just heaps of health benefits.   Now, how’s that for a culinary upgrade?

Source: http://www.healthmad.com/