August 10, 2010- Spices have been a part of our daily meals since civilizations. They are a part of all our meals as flavor enhancing spices. But health benefits of spices have often been underrated. Domestic spices are leaden with beneficial, medicinal properties that help fight a lot of everyday diseases along and prevent some major diseases as well. They are high on antioxidants and prove beneficial for a lot of common diseases like cold, cough, fever, indigestion, etc. Even the nutrition research reports show that certain herbs and spices are healthy spices food additives. But all the spices have different health benefits associated with them.
We often consume a lot of chemicals and foreign food additives in our everyday food and beverage consumptions. Artificial favors, colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners, anti-caking agents and what not. In the times of so much of food contamination and bio-terrorism, the natural spices with health benefits are perhaps the easy way to improve a little on the health. But for being able to use these spices to maximize the health benefits, it is extremely important to understand the what properties are related to which spices and condiments. Go through the list mentioned below, and try to include a few of these spices in your daily food consumption chart in some way or the other.
Ginger: Ginger has been traditionally used for its excellent medicinal properties. In tea and curry preparations ginger enhances the flavor with its concentrated extract. Apart from cough, cold and sneezing, ginger is also a quick home remedy for treating morning sickness and stomach upset problems. It is a good remedy for controlling motion sickness and nausea. The anti oxidants found in ginger are often considered to be beneficial in conditions of colon cancer.
Turmeric: A herb of the ginger family, turmeric is also a multi benefit spice that helps in treating joint pains, healing wounds and has many other medicinal properties. A powerful antioxidant, it also finds mention in a lot of ancient epics and scriptures. Besides lending an appeasing color to the curry foods, turmeric helps strengthen the immune system, improves indigestion and has inflammatory advantages.
healthy spices gingerCloves: Cloves have a very strong aroma and a distinct taste that makes them a part of all the special meals. They contain phenols and phytonutrients that are active in preventing heart disease and diabetes. Often related to fresh breath and beauty enhancers they are a wonderful spice too.
healthy spices gingerRosemary: Rosemary, apart from being a flavor enhancer, is also used in aromatherapy treatments for enhancing memory power and cognition abilities. It contains anti inflammatory properties which improve circulation, and boost immunity. It is also known to be helpful in curing Alzheimer's and heart diseases.