Hey there, viewers! Spices definitely add flavor to your food. But can they be
good for your health? Some people call spices a powerhouse of disease fighting nutrients. Is that
true? In today’s video, we’ll be talking about powerful spices that are good for your health.
Is ginger good for you? What about oregano? Can nutmeg offer you health boosting nutrients?
We’ll talk about all of these AND more... 1. Oregano
If you’ve been sprinkling a lot of oregano on your pizza, you are doing your health a great
service. It’s packed with antioxidants which can help fight free radicals in your body,
and prevent oxidative stress. This way, you can help reduce damage to your cells.
Oregano also has antibacterial properties. When compared with other spices such as sage and thyme,
oregano was seen to be the most efficient when combating bacteria that can cause infection.
Oregano can also help reduce the chances of chronic inflammation,
reducing your chances of heart disease and diabetes.
What’s your favorite pizza topping? Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the
comments below... 2. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is another popular spice used in desserts and curries, as well as drinks like chai tea.
While the main reason for using nutmeg is flavor, it comes with added health benefits.
Nutmeg is especially helpful in preventing the buildup of plaque and cavities in your mouth.
Cavities and gum diseases are usually caused by bacteria. Test tube studies have shown
that nutmeg extract has strong antibacterial properties, and can kill off this bacteria.
This spice also has strong anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that protect you from
diabetes and arthritis, as well as heart disease. Just make sure you don’t eat too much nutmeg.
It has a compound that acts as a psychoactive substance. When
you have too much of this compound, it can cause seizures and hallucinations.
It can also cause heart arrhythmias, nausea, as well as dizziness and pain.
It’s recommended you do not have high quantities of nutmeg in a single sitting.
Any amount higher than 10 grams, and it can become toxic. Negative effects of nutmeg can
last for several hours. When a large amount is used, it can even lead to organ failure.
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3. Cumin (Q-min) Cumin is another spice known for its nutty taste.
It’s mainly used for its flavor. But it also has many added health benefits. It’s most common
use is to help with digestion. Cumin helps raise the activity of digestive enzymes in your body,
which can help quicken your digestion process. Cumin can also be helpful for people suffering
with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. In one study of nearly 60 IBS patients,
it was found that consuming concentrated cumin for two weeks helped reduce symptoms.
The spice can also help you lose weight and improve cholesterol. Some studies
have shown it can also help in the treatment of diabetes. Cumin seeds are also packed with iron,
which is particularly important for children and young women.
If you want to have cumin to lose weight, maybe you can try cumin tea. All you need
to do is add cumin seeds to a hot pan. Roast them for a few seconds then add water. Bring
it to a boil. Let it simmer for a while. Turn off the heat, and let the tea sit for a while.
Strain it, and drink. You can also add lemon and raw honey to add more flavor.
Besides cumin tea, you can eat this delicious spice by adding it to vegetable stews, soups,
and stir fried or sauteed veggies. You can even add roasted powdered cumin seeds to buttermilk or
curd. It tastes delicious. 4. Saffron
Saffron is one of the more expensive spices and can be used in rice dishes. This spice
is prepared from a purple flower known as the saffron crocus (crow-cuss), which usually blooms
in autumn for about one to three weeks a year. For just one gram of saffron, you will need to
use 150 flowers. It’s no surprise that saffron is expensive, considering how many flowers you need.
However, the price is worth it due to everything it does for your health.
Research has shown that saffron is very effective in improving your immune system.
It can also help treat patients suffering with insomnia. Saffron also serves as an aphrodisiac.
You can include saffron in your diet by adding it to your tea, coffee, and dessert.
Saffron milk tastes delicious. All you need to do is crush soaked saffron strands in a pan.
Add milk and sugar along with chopped pistachios. Bring them to a boil and turn off the heat.
Let saffron milk sit for a while until it’s lukewarm. For flavor, add some sugar and honey.
5. Cinnamon Cinnamon is
another popular spice used in a number of recipes, especially baked goods. The spice has a compound
called cinnamaldehyde (sin-uh-malda-hide), which gives cinnamon many health benefits.
Cinnamon lowers your blood sugar levels. It does this by slowing down the speed that
carbs are broken down with. It also helps improve your body’s insulin sensitivity.
Research has shown that cinnamon can bring down the fasting blood sugars among diabetic patients
by up to 29%. You need to have around 0.5 to 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a day just to get
its benefits. This is about 2 to 4 grams of cinnamon powder a day. Make sure you
don’t go over the recommended dosage. Eating cinnamon in large quantities can be toxic.
Cinnamon has a compound called coumarin (koo-merr-in), which can be harmful to
your body in large amounts. Otherwise, you’ll increase your likelihood of liver toxicity,
and the possibility of cancer. Before you start worrying, here’s a piece of good news...
There are two types of cinnamon, ceylon and cassia (cash-ya). Cassia has larger
amounts of coumarin than ceylon. So, if you want to include cinnamon in your diet,
make sure you’re buying ceylon cinnamon. Before we move ahead, here’s another video
you might like. Watch and learn more about natural ways to improve your immunity...
6. Black Pepper Black pepper is a very common spice used
in households. It’s sometimes referred to as the king of spices and has been used in traditional
medicine for a long time. It’s packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that prevent
diseases like arthritis, diabetes and cancer. This particular spice can also help prevent
degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In a study of rats that had
Alzheimer’s disease, it was seen that the compound piperine, which is in black pepper,
improved their memory. 7. Cayenne
Cayenne is a chilli pepper commonly used among spicy dishes. This spice has a compound called
capsaicin, which is known to help reduce your appetite and increase the amount of fat that
is burnt. Just 1 gram of pepper added to your meal would be enough to get the desired results.
In some studies, it’s been seen that capsaicin can also prevent certain forms of cancer.
Its effects are particularly powerful against lung, liver and prostate cancers.
8. Paprika Paprika is a spice that can not only
add flavor to your dishes, but also the bright color, especially among dishes such as fish,
chicken thighs and even tomato sauce. Paprika comes packed with many important nutrients,
including vitamin E and beta carotene, which can help improve your eye health.
This spice can also help improve your cholesterol levels by increasing the amount of good
cholesterol in your body. In one study conducted over two weeks, it was found that rats given
paprika had a significantly higher amount of good cholesterol compared to the group that did not.
9. Ginger Ginger is another popular spice
that is used in many dishes. It’s long been a part of traditional medicine, especially for treating
nausea. Whether it’s nausea from chemotherapy, sea sickness or morning sickness, ginger can help.
Ginger also has anti-inflammatories that help relieve pain. In one study among participants
with colon cancer, it was seen that taking 2 grams of ginger extract every day can help reduce colon
inflammation at the same level as aspirin. 10. Garlic
Garlic is yet another spice that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
Most of the medicinal properties in ginger come from a compound called allicin, which is also
what gives the spice its distinctive smell. Garlic can also help reduce your cholesterol
levels. Research has shown that garlic supplementation can reduce the amount of
bad cholesterol levels in your body by up to 15%. It can also treat the common cold.
Garlic supplements can also help reduce high blood pressure. In one study, it was just as effective
as drugs used to combat high blood pressure. 11. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the most commonly used spices around. It’s what gives curry its yellow color.
It has curcumin, along with many other medicinal properties. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant.
This is important, as oxidative damage is one of the main causes of aging, along with many
other related diseases. Research has shown that curcumin can also improve your brain function.
It also helps fight Alzheimer’s disease, and reduce your chances of getting cancer.
Curcumin also has strong anti-inflammatory properties, and is
even as effective as some of the drugs available. You just learned about the incredible benefits of
eating spices. How about other foods? Let’s keep the conversation going with a couple diet-related
videos, shall we? Here’s what you need to know... Watch 16 Alkaline Foods You Must Have In Your
Daily Diet. You should also check out the 9 Healthiest High-Fiber Foods You Should Be Eating.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about health and nutrition. Are
you planning on adding these 11 spices to your daily diet? Let us know in the comments below!