When creating healthier meals at home, don’t be afraid to try new spices. Spices give us the flavors we long for and the health benefits we need.
Certain spices may improve health conditions such as high blood pressure,
inflammation, and nausea. Adding the best health-boosting spices to your healthy dishes will spice up your food and your life. Using supplements in your diet can be helpful and sometimes necessary, but nothing beats going right to the source.
Lower Your Blood Sugar with Cinnamon
A yummy alternative to sugar is cinnamon. Our minds often go right to thoughts of autumn when we hear the word “cinnamon,” and rightfully so. Cinnamon offers a warm feeling with its comforting aroma and taste of sweet spice. Try sprinkling cinnamon in your morning latte. When you’re baking, it can be fun to experiment with cinnamon as a substitute for sugar in small amounts. Try it in muffins, breads, and cookies. You may be surprised at how quickly you decrease your sugar intake!
Garlic for a Stronger Heart
One of the most favored of the best health-boosting spices, garlic gives bold flavor to your favorite dishes, and it may lower your cholesterol while doing so. The possibilities for using garlic are endless. It’s not a baking spice, but it is essential at dinnertime. Sauces, vegetables, and pastas take on a whole new meaning with the right amount of garlic.
When using garlic, use it fresh whenever possible. A garlic press should be a staple in everyone’s kitchen. Crush a clove or two into your pasta sauce, or throw whole, peeled cloves into the slow cooker as you cook your evening meal. Enjoy the intense flavor knowing you have made a healthy choice.
Kill Nausea with Ginger
Many pregnant women have relied on ginger—long known for its ability to cure upset tummies—to get them through some rough mornings. However, you don’t have to be pregnant to benefit. Nausea can strike anyone, and ginger can help. Due to its popularity, you can now find ginger in lollipops and hard candies. It also comes in root form and, of course, powdered form in the spice aisle. Asian recipes commonly require ginger, but feel free to play around with other recipes. When you use ginger root, you can simply grate it into your recipe; when using the powdered form, you can measure it according to the recipe. Ginger is also used in popular cookies such as gingersnaps.
Try a New Spice
We have discussed a few of the most common healthy spices. Feeling adventurous? How about reducing inflammation with more exotic spices such as anise? Most often used in bread doughs, with its sweet yet subtle spicy flavor, you may be surprised at all the things anise can do. Or you can sprinkle a small amount of saffron into your favorite rice. A little saffron goes a long way, and it’s packed with glorious antioxidants.
Enjoy trying new spices and your usual favorites. Remember to eat healthily, and don’t forget the spice!
