Being an Indian we can never think of any meal/food without spices. We not only consider herbs & spices as taste enhancers but also a boosting substance for our health. There are various health benefits of Spices.
Herbs are parts of a plant like garlic, while spices are usually made from berries, roots or seeds of a plant. Both are used to enhance the taste of food, an independent research says that spices & herbs are chock full of healthy compounds and may prevent illness and diseases. All herbs and spices fight inflammation and reduce damage to the body’s cells, because they are rich in phytochemicals, which are healthful plant chemicals.
Adding herbs and spices to your diet has another benefit; here are some standouts to think about adding to your next meal.
Amazing Turmeric
Benefits: Calms inflammation, inhibit tumors
Turmeric is goldenrod-colored spice that gives texture & taste to the food and also heals the wounds. It’s also made into a tea to relieve colds and respiratory problems. Turmeric contains Curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin is a remarkably powerful antioxidant, helping to fight oxidative damage and boosting the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. This is important, because oxidative damage is believed to be one of the key mechanisms behind ageing and many diseases.
Sweet Cardamom
Benefits: Soothe an upset stomach, fight inflammation, low blood pressure
Cardamom is sweet and pervasive spice. It’s known to soothe an upset stomach, also fights inflammation, lower blood pressure, and play a role in preventing the growth of cancer cells. Of all spices, cardamom is especially high in minerals like magnesium and zinc which are must for our body.
Chili peppers
Benefits: Boosts metabolism
Fresh, dried, or powdered, chilies will give a kick to your food. They not only flavor your food but also boost your metabolism and helps in keeping blood vessels healthy. It has capsaicin a compound that gives its real taste that’s being spicy.
Sugar free Cinnamon
Benefits: Lowers blood sugar levels and Powerful anti-diabetic effect
Cinnamon is sweet but very low in calories and known to be sugar-free. You can easily add it to almost anything, including coffee and tea. It lowers blood sugar levels and has a powerful anti-diabetic effect. Cinnamon is a popular spice, found in all sorts of recipes and baked foods.
It has a compound known as cinnamaldehyde, which is responsible for its medicinal properties and also helps fight inflammation, lowering cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
Sizzling Garlic
Benefits: Fights cholesterol, high blood pressure and lowers chances of heart diseases.
Garlic has a powerful compound called Allicin, which may lower chances of getting heart disease and may even help stop the growth of cancer cells. Research shows that eating garlic regularly may help with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. But to get the benefits, you have to chop or crush the clove: Allicin is formed only after the cells in the garlic have been cut or crushed.
Ginger
Benefits: Improves digestive system and ease nausea
Ginger is very helpful with an upset stomach. It has a calming effect on the lining of digestive system, and can ease nausea too. Research shows that ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and may play a role in preventing diseases like cancer.
Even if you are not a fan of crazy-spicy food, you can still get the health benefits by adding spices with a more tolerable zing to your dishes. If the aforementioned perks weren’t persuasive enough, consider this suggested benefit: Eating spicy foods may help lengthen your life. A Harvard University study suggested that people who ate spicy food every day saw a 14 percent lower risk of death compared to people who ate spicy food only once a week or less. Consider sprinkling dried chili flakes on whole-wheat pasta, vegetables or soups to add a kick of flavor and potentially lengthen your life.
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