Many of us take spices for granted.  We use them every now and then to season our foods, but we don’t take into account the wide array of benefits lurking in spice. You should be adding spices into your food not just for the flavor enhancements, but also for the healthy properties that spices provide!

Here are six of the most important spices to include in your diet:

Cumin

Cumin is a common spice in Mexican food.  However, due to cumin’s healthy property, it is important to figure out how to add it to meals all the time.  Cumin helps digestion and bloating.  It also has phytochemicals that allow the body to produce enzymes that protect against diseases like cancer.

Garlic

Most people already consume garlic, as it is a common ingredient in a wide variety of meals.  However, no matter how much garlic you are eating, you should probably consider adding more to your diet!

Garlic is heart healthy and can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.  Recent studies have led scientists to believe that garlic inhibits the growth of different cancers as well.

Saffron

Saffron is a spice that improves memory and also fights cancer.  It also a has beneficial impact on the eyes.  It may shield them from damage and prevent eye problems that occur due to aging.

Turmeric

You are probably familiar with turmeric as it is used in many Indian cooking.  It is also undoubtedly one of the most powerful spices.  Turmeric has been shown to improve memory and heart health.

There have been a variety of recent studies that have advocated that the benefits of turmeric are rather impressive.  For example, The University of Missouri found that curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) decreases breast tumors.  They also found that turmeric could reduce breast cancer risk in women who use hormone replacement therapies.  Turmeric has also been shown to fight cancerous polyps.

Ginger

Ginger contains powerful antioxidants.  It works remarkably well in treating nausea.  Ginger is also believed to help with arthritis pain.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a common Thanksgiving spice, but truly it should be used year-round.  Scientists have found that if you add rosemary to ground beef, it reduces dangerous chemicals that may cause cancer.  Rosemary also hosts anti-inflammatory properties that boost immunity.  It has also been shown to have a special antioxidant, which protects brain cells from free radical damage.  This property can fight diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The trick is to have a lot of spices on hand and experiment to adding them to all your meals.  You may find flavor combinations that you love, which you may never have even thought of.  Some of these spices, like garlic, ginger, and turmeric, are even available in supplement form.

Sources
newsmaxhealth.com
naturalnews.com
ehow.com