The Spices of Life

Spices fit somewhere between herbs and food. They make food look, taste, and smell better and contain medicinal properties as well...

Comprehensive List Of Healthy Spices

Written by | December 9, 2013 |Comments Off

spices

Like fruits and vegetables, many spices are rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial compounds.
Used regularly, herbs can help your health in many ways including reduced inflammation, fighting free radicals, aid digestion and circulation, lower blood sugar, boost your immune system, and much more.

Here is a list of perhaps the healthiest spices, what they pair well with, and how they help…

In no particular order


SAGE
Pairs well with: Squashes; parsley; rosemary; thyme; walnuts

May help: Preserve memory, soothe sore throats.

ROSEMARY
Pairs well with: Potatoes; citrus; honey; garlic; onions; chile peppers
May help: Enhance mental focus, fight foodborne bacteria.

TURMERIC

Pairs well with: Garlic; citrus; ingredients in curry powder, such as coriander & cumin
May help: Quell inflammation, inhibit tumors.

CHILE PEPPER

Pairs well with: Ginger; chocolate; beans; beef
May help: Boost metabolism.

GINGER

Pairs well with: Soy sauce; citrus; chile peppers; garlic
May help: Soothe an upset stomach, fight arthritis pain.

CINNAMON

Pairs well with: Cloves; nutmeg; allspice; chocolate; fruit; nuts; hot cereal
May help: Stabilize blood sugar, reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

SAFFRON

Pairs well with: Shellfish, rice, tomatoes, garlic, onion
May help: Boost your mood, relieve symptoms of PMS.

PARSLEY

Pairs well with: lemon zest, mint, garlic, capers, fish, beef
May help: Prevent cancer.

GARLIC

Pairs well with: Spread roasted garlic on crusty bread, sautee it and add to sauces, and use raw in hummus and salad dressing.
May help: fighting illness, ‘poor man’s antibiotic’, help prevent cardiovascular disease, protecting against gastrointestinal and colorectal cancer.

THYME

Pairs well with: Flavor stews and soups. It works well in Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and in Creole dishes such as blackened fish.
May help: Increase the amount of omega-3 (good) fatty acids present in kidney and brain cells, excellent antioxidant and rich in antibacterial and antispasmodic properties.

CAYENNE PEPPER

Pairs well with: Add a pinch of powdered cayenne to paella, Thai and Mexican dishes, or any dish that needs a kick.
May help: Boosts circulation, fights infections, aids digestion, boost metabolism.

CILANTRO

Pairs well with: Add fresh cilantro to salsa, guacamole, fish or chicken marinades, and Indian and Chinese soups.
May help: Remove toxic metals such as mercury from the body.

BASIL

Pairs well with: In chicken dishes, pastas, pesto, and tomato-and-cheese sandwiches.
May help: Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; contains a wealth of nutrients including beta-carotene and magnesium.

CURRY POWDER, CURCUMIN

Pairs well with: Add to curry dishes, to egg or chicken salad, or savory lentil or rice recipes.
May help: Very potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent; activates cellular defense mechanisms in genes.

CLOVES

Pairs well with: Drinks and in both sweet and savoury dishes.
May help: With one of the highest levels of antioxidants; relieve bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, nausea and diarrhea; tooth and gum pains.

OREGANO

Pairs well with: Egg and cheese dishes; beef, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes.
May help: Guard you against a wide array of infections; inhibit E. coli and some staph infections.

PAPRIKA

Pairs well with: Wide variety including sauces, egg garnish, chicken, Mexican, Mediterranean and Cajun spice blends.
May help: Contribute toward cardiovascular health, as well as cancer prevention; Contains flavonoids that help to neutralize damaging free radicals; Reduce chronic pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

 

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