According to the March 2009 issue of Prevention Magazine there are seven super spices that just might minimize the aging process. These spices could also help with diabetes. The University of Georgia findings show that the antioxidants in these spices help to block compounds associated with aging and may inhibit tissue damage caused by high levels of blood sugar.
I have always been a great fan of spices and love spiced tea. My spice cabinet runneth over. I add spices to most dishes I make in my kitchen.
Below is a list of the seven super spices that fight aging along with brief paragraph about each one and other healthy uses recommended by herbalists.
Cloves - Used to treat indigestion, diarrhea, hernia, and ringworm, as well as athlete's food and other fungal infections and toothaches. This spice has antioxidants that help prevent cell damage that eventually causes cancer.
Try in cakes and bread for a spicy sweetness.
Allspice - The consumption of allspice with meals results in stronger digestion, reduces gas and bloating, and can ease nausea. It also has blood sugar regulating effects, and controls appetite.Add to ground beef for unexpected twist to hamburgers or meat loaf.
Sage - Useful in treating diarrhea, colds, and excessive perspiration, hot flashes, to dry up phlegm, and you can gargle with the tea to treat coughs and tonsil or throat infections. It can
be used as a hair rinse for dandruff, oily hair, or infections of the scalp. It reportedly restores color to gray or white hair.
Try in tomato sauce recipes.
Oregano - This herb has been used to relieve bloating, gas, urinary tract problems, painful menstruation, rheumatoid arthritis, and swollen glands.
Great on homemade garlic bread or pizza.
Thyme - Used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma. An easy homemade remedy can be made by finely chopping thyme with a spoon of local honey. It soothes the lungs and air passages. Can be used in baths for neurasthenia, rheumatism, paralysis, bruises, swellings, and sprains. In a salve it is helpful for shingles. Use in scrambled eggs for a flavor boost.
Marjoram - Great for blood circulation, water retention,muscle spasms, fatigue, insomnia. Use in tomato soups, sauces, oriental salads.
Cinnamon - helps ward off diabetes, good for heart health, has anti-inflammatory qualities and helps reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Try on whole wheat toast drizzled with honey.
So now we can be younger and cure all our ills with just a few simple spices.
Evidence shows the use of herbs and spices dates back to before recorded history and has been passed from one generation to another. My mother used to drink sassafras tea and thought it to be medicinal. I hated the taste of that tea.
Do you use spices in your recipes or have one special spice you like better than others? Do you think spices are medicinal and can cure certain ailments?
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27 comments:
Hi Judy, my spice cabinet runneth over also. I knew cinnamon was good for you, but I didn't know about the others. I have all of them. Maybe I will start eating more "spicy."
Hi Judy, I like Prevention Magazine. We read it regularaly. I had been told a few years ago about cinnamon. For some reason, I cannot stand the taste of cloves. I usually like everything --but when my hubby bought some hot tea with cloves in it, I just couldn't drink it. I do use all of the others though.
My inlaws that I wrote about in today's post have spent their lives reading about all kinds of herbs, minerals, spices, vitamins, etc. that we all need to be taking. They have been an inspiration to George and me. They take NO prescription drugs --and it's because of using other more-wholesome ways to stay health.
Great post.
Hugs,
Betsy
Judy, thank you for the reminder.
Have read of all of this in the past. Now just use the spices as additions to recipes. Yes, I do believe they can help certain problems. I drink a lot of herbal teas.
Great post and great information! I do use all of those and even take cinnamon pills. Thanks!
Oh golly...I have to add those to my grocery list 9well, the husband's list...he is the chef!)! :)
We use a lot of oregano and cinnamon (not in the same recipes though)...LOL LOL
Judy, I had no idea these spices were helpful for so many ailments--I've have to try and add an extra shake or two when I cook! I do tend to use cinnamon a lot in my baking, especially the apple and pear bread I make a lot. My grandpa, who was a farmer, didn't believe in doctors and doctored himself with all sort of herbs and teas. He lived a long and healthy life, too.
Great post!
I regularly use all those spices except marjoram, mainly for taste and not medicinal purposes. If they work, that's just an added bonus!
Thanks for this post. Very helpful information. I have them all but don't always use them. I guess this is more incentive to learn more about the use of spice.
I've got a surprise waiting for you at my FOOD BLOG. Do check it up when you're back online ok?
hugs!
Judy, Turmeric is held in high regard as an anti inflammatory and antiseptic here in India. There have also been several NIH stidies done on this. When you have a cold/cough thing, mothers here give little balls of ginger-turmeric-jaggery with hot water . Works wonders. ...Also, as far as I can remember, anyone who has just managed to get a cut on the finger , usually rushes home and someone always puts a bunch of turmeric powder on it to hasten the clotting. Works every single time...
This was a very interesting read Judy, I haven't heard about spices and the ageing process, will certainly give it a try. Thanks for the information.
Take care.
Yvonne.
Hi Judy,
Very nice post on spices. I have tons of them too. I went through my cabinet a while back and you'd be surprise how old some of them are. I did throw quite a few away.
I had recently heard about cinnamon but not the others. Thanks for posting this info. Always good to use things like this rather than paying a fortune for medicines in the store.
Thank you for the very interesting post. My father-in-law believed in the use of herbs and spices. I remember him drinking sassafras tea in the spring. Have you ever heard of any medicinal powers in honey?
Sweetie
Hi Judy, that was interesting. I use spices in a lot of my cooking and wished I knew more about their health benefits. I use it to add flavour to my food but rarely do it for health reasons. Now I know some more. Your posts are always interesting and I always learn something new. Thank you!!
I love spices and do use quite a lot as I don't use salt at all, I also love garlic and chillies
Cloves used to go into my ham, but I'm having to learn to do without salt these days. Cinammon is my very favorite spice.
I love sliced tomatoes, mozarella cheese slices, and fresh basil on top of it.
I grow oregano, sage, basil, and this past year planted pineapple sage and it bloomed like crazy in the fall. It had beautiful red flowers on it. I was just amazed and so pleased. Since we have the greenhouse now I have a whole flat of basil planted. It has sprouted and I have another pack of seeds for later on. I really like it.
Oh...I made turkey burgers w/o salt and with a ton of veggies and they were wonderful. It was a Rachel Ray recipe that I found when I googled turkey burgers.
Hello Judy :) Oh I loveesss cinnamon on applesause. It's also a blood thinner, so have to be careful becuz I'm taking Coumadine.
I love orange spice tea!
Wonderful entry you have posted here! :)
Hey Mom!
What a great entry! I love Cinnamon. I am gonna try it with honey on whole wheat toast, that sounds great!
Love you!
Leigh
Hi Judy,
There are so many spices that we use in India for different purposes, that this space will not be enough to list all of those. To list a few, we use turmeric as an antiseptic for cuts and to stop the bleeding, basil is used as antioxidant, asafoetida is used for digestion,ajwain or caraway seeds are also used for digestion. All these spices are common spices in India and found in almost everyone's kitchen. I don't know much but my mother in law knows so many uses that we never have to go to a doctor for smaller problems like fever , cough, cold , stomach pain, except if the condition is really severe.
regards,
enchanted.
No wonder I'm 70 Plus and Still Kicking Judy - I use all of them!
Take care
June in Oz
Our spices runneth over too! My husband cooked a lot before he got sick and he loved his spices! I use oregano, cinnamon, and sage fairly often. I have sage growing all over the place too! I love to pinch off leaves and smell it when I'm outside!
Cloves is one I've never used much unless a recipe just called for it in particular.
Hi......
Great post and great information!
Dear Judy,
I love spices, and a variety of them. I can't eat salt anymore, so spices have become much more important over the past few years. Black pepper is a very important spice as well as those you mentioned.
Love,
Ruby
Thanks Judy, I only knew about cloves, very nice of you to inform us, and now I know.
Indeed my spice cupboard runneth over: http://chaki-whatscooking.blogspot.com/2009/01/treasure-beyond-rubies-part-1.html
and
http://chaki-whatscooking.blogspot.com/2009/01/treasure-beyond-rubies-part-2.html
I cook a lot of Indian dishes as well as many other ethnic foods. Love herbs and spices...
I do use spices, but I'm not sure about how much medicinal value they actually have. It certainly doesn't hurt to use them liberally, though. So, if they have added benefit to my health, I'm all for it!!
Pass the cinnamon, please.
:-)
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