My daughter and I spent the better part of last week in the kitchen trying to get our holiday baking done. We’ve got a few more batches of cookies to go before I can collapse under the Christmas tree and start enjoying the fruits of our labor. It’s been hectic, but there’s nothing better than having your home smell like the inside of a spice factory.
The mouth-watering aroma of warm spices got me thinking about the nutritional value of some of the ingredients we’ve been adding to our recipes—-namely the spices. Obviously spices make a dish taste good, but did you realize that they also help improve your health?
I did some research and found that many everyday spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, contain tiny amounts of vitamins, minerals and most notably, potent antioxidants that can help to reduce heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Given the large amount of cinnamon we’ve been using in our holiday baking I was pleased to learn that the brown spice is the richest in antioxidants and offers the most benefits. Did you know one fourth to one half teaspoon of cinnamon taken daily reduces blood sugar and makes insulin more effective?
Doctors say cinnamon also helps reduce triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in diabetics. The spice also contains an anti-inflammatory compound, which relieves arthritis. What’s more, some studies show that just sniffing a bowl of cinnamon helps improve alertness, memory and concentration.
Nutmeg is also considered a “healthy spice.” Studies show it helps relieve indigestion, nausea and vomiting. In addition, doctors say the spice lowers elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Finally, ginger, which is considered a warming spice, has health benefits as well. Medical experts say ginger has been proven to reduce nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness, and intestinal gas. There are also a few studies where ginger has been shown to help prevent ovarian cancer.
Makes me want to dig out my recipe for ginger snaps.
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