Spices have served an important array of purposes from flavoring to medicine since the earliest times of mankind. Archaeologists uncovered spices from remains around the Nile River dating back as far as 2800 B.C. The multicultural capabilities of spices and herbs are not limited to pleasing our palate, and they also preserve human corpses. During the Middle Ages countries prized spices and herbs greatly, and they used it for purposes that ranged from funeral ceremonies, royal activities, and medicine.
During the contemporary era, we have equated spices more towards the flavoring abilities they have to provide to our foods. Looking back to analyze the use of these spices in ancient times has begun to open a new frontier for their use as fat-burning remedies and disease-preventive antioxidants. According to some recent studies, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that adding spices with high polyphenol content to a meat recipe inhibited the generation of malondialdehyde which is a product of lipid peroxidation and is said to be carcinogenic. Some other studies have proven the efficacy of spices and herbs through their antioxidant capacity to neutralize harmful chemicals in our daily diet.
For instance, did you know that the food and meat that you barbecue and eat contain such carcinogens? However this can be kept to an absolute minimum by employing spices that do not encourage the formation of cancer-forming compounds. Heterocyclic amine compounds are mainly formed in meat, poultry and seafood foods that are prepared primarily with the application of high heat over fire or frying. We certainly cannot skip using such an essential component of our foods almost, so what do we need to do to minimize the potential risks that come with consuming such foods? Simply add spices and herbs to enhance the flavor of your barbecue and to do so. Spices like cumin, turmeric and a host of others are used abundantly and are proven to be useful in reducing the production of HCAs. Apart from reducing the chances of getting cancer, spices and herbs also act as a buffer and medicine for a host of diseases from diabetes to cold.
Experiments in the year 2011 showed that cinnamon and cloves due to its significant hypolipidemic activity reduced blood cholesterol by about 65% in the subjects being studied. Why do you attribute a loss in body weight to the relatively fatty diet under observation? This is the effect of the spices added to the diet of the subjects during the study period.
As you continue to learn about the amazing abilities of herbs, you should increase your consumption of these disease inhibiting nutrients. You can make some of the following changes towards a healthier and more delicious life;
Apply spices and herbs for their general health benefits and not because of any specific benefit that they may provide you. It is important that you take in foods that are rich in antioxidants, i.e., herbs, spices, vegetables, fresh fruits, etc. so that your diet is a complete experience. While research on the specific disease preventive aspects of spices is still being done, that need not stop you from eating a whole variety of antioxidant-rich foods. We certainly know that spices contain significant amounts of antioxidants, but information is lacking in the area of how this connects to the excellent health and benefits it gives those of us who use them regularly. Don’t limit yourself to one particular spice and herb, explore the whole spectrum of the rainbow. By playing around with this a bit and adding some to your recipes, you will get the best of the wonderful and varied health-granting substances they hold.
You can enjoy your spices and herbs in any form you can get them. If you've got a garden, it stands well to reason that you can consume plenty of fresh spices. However, in the event you can't source certain fresh herbs, even dried ones will do the trick right and most of the time will be better than fresh herbs. A study by the UCLA School of Medicine on a variety of herbs and spices found that they still had their essential properties after being dried. Avoid that toxic food additive.
Even though not much is known about the specific health benefits, they are a much healthier alternative to sugar, fat and salt. Spices enhance the inherent taste, aroma and flavor of your food and are also healthy for your body. If you are on a diet or want to know how to get rid of that excess body fat, spices can come in handy to act as a substitute for sugar and artificial sweeteners. Having got used to the traditional way of pleasing our tongue and not taking care of our body completely, the most easily available common spice may have gone unnoticed. Cinnamon is a perfect substitute for sugar in your tea, coffee, cereals. Your taste buds may be resistant to it at first, but eventually, the acquired taste becomes the new norm as your body gets used to it to reap the immense health benefits it offers.
