The Benefit of Spices to Health
Though most spices are as accessible as the nearest grocery store, the delightfully aromatic parts or extracts of certain tropical plants, have, in the past, influenced cultures, inspired global exploration, created fortunes and at times been the source of bitter political conflicts over trade routes. Essential components of some of your favorite foods, spices also provide potential health benefits.
Antioxidants and other phytochemicals in spices help make some of your favorite foods heart-healthy, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Antioxidants in garlic lower blood pressure, thin blood and inhibit arterial plaque formation. Cayenne pepper contains antioxidants that improve peripheral circulation. In a study published in a 2013 issue of the journal "Bratislavske Lekarsky Listy," curcumin, the active ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, and onion helped lower cholesterol and decrease levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory marker that gauges heart disease risk. Participants, all healthy men aged 30 to 50, consumed biscuits made with the spices for two months.
The combination of spices that lend distinctive flavor to chai tea, a traditional Indian beverage that combines tea with milk and spices, also provides potential digestive benefits. Piperine in black pepper stimulates the release of digestive enzymes; cinnamon slows the release of food from the stomach into the small intestine, allowing for longer time in contact with stomach acid, and pepsin, a protein-digesting enzyme the stomach secretes. Gingerol in ginger alleviates some forms of nausea and fennel stimulates digestion and helps prevent gassiness, according to George Mason University Botany Department.
The Rockefeller Institute lists basil, cumin, ginger, mint and sage among its top 10 most powerful herbs with cancer-fighting benefits. In a study published in the May 2012 "Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine," out of nine spices tested, oregano and bay leaf showed the greatest inhibition of cultured human cervical cancer cells. Both spices also inhibited kidney cancer in an animal portion of the study. Other spices tested include rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, fennel, paprika and two varieties of lavender.
Flavorful and convenient, spices offer sizable benefits in small packages. Most spices store well when kept in a cool, dry location away from direct light and will provide you with a ready source of health- and menu-enhancing benefits. Experiment with unusual combinations by adding a pinch of cinnamon to meat dishes and stews or a dash of pepper to lemonade or iced tea. For the added bonus of just-picked freshness, hardy spices, such as oregano, thyme and parsley are easy to grow in your backyard garden, on a porch or in a window sill.
- Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Anticancer Activity of Certain Herbs and Spices on the Cervical Epithelial Carcinoma (HeLa) Cell Line
- The Rockefeller University: Food Choices for Reducing Cancer Risk
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine: Chai Tea for Digestion
- Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: Black Pepper and Its Pungent Principle-Piperine: A Review of Diverse Physiological Effects
- Cardiovascular Diabetology: Effect of Cinnamon on Gastric Emptying, Arterial Stiffness, Postprandial Lipemia, Glycemia, and Appetite Responses to High-Fat Breakfast
- George Mason University Botany Department: Fennel
- UCLA History and Special Collections Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library: What is a Spice?
- Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images