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Why You Should Use Healthy Spices

By Terrie Joyner


History books show that healthy spices have been in use for many centuries. There is historical evidence to support the belief that spices were used for their medicinal and health promoting properties. Spices are often added to drinks or ground down to a powder and used for cooking. The medicinal properties were used primarily to manage and treat a variety of ailments.

When using spices in the preparation of food items, they provide the best flavor when added near the end of the cooking procedure. They mix well with spices to provide unique flavor and color to dishes, and for producing remedies and natural treatments. Individual spices and ready mixed concoctions can be purchased off the shelf from many supermarkets and other retails suppliers.

Cardamom is a spice sourced from India. It is an aromatic seed that is used to flavor sweets, vegetables, rice and curry dishes. The seeds can be crushed, mixed in water with a little ginger root and brought to a simmer with a little milk and honey. This is known to be effective in relieving indigestion and flatulence.

Ginger is another store cupboard staple, which is a common ingredient for use in Asian and Indian cuisines. Ginger is frequently used to add flavor to cakes, biscuits and other sweet products. It has antioxidant properties that help to fight disease and have a calming effect on the digestive system. A small piece of ginger root may be chewed to calm digestive upset, or added to hot water to provide a tea.

Cinnamon is a popular spice because of its warm flavor and distinctive smell. Produced from the inside bark of tropical trees, it is used for making sweet and savoury dishes. It is also commonly used to improve the taste of toothpastes, mouth washes and gum. The compounds contained in cinnamon provide a sedative effect and help to reduce pain. It is also known to have a beneficial effect on circulation, and helps to thin the blood.

Cloves have for many years been used as a remedy for toothache. The anti-inflammatory properties are often used to combat the pain and stiffness experienced by arthritis sufferers. Prepare a warm and soothing tea by adding a teaspoon of cloves to boiling water and leave for 10 minutes before it will be ready to drink. Evergreen trees are the source for cloves which can also be used for pickling foods, fruit poaching and making mulled wine.

Cumin is also a popular spice used in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes such as curries, stews and breads. It can be used to produce a tea by adding a teaspoon of seeds to a pint of boiling water. It is known to provide iron and manganese which help with digestion and bloating problems.

There are many more healthy spices which are readily available from retailers, pharmacies and health food suppliers. You should always read the instructions on the packet for further information relating to the culinary uses. The instructions should also provide information on using the spice as a herbal or natural remedy.




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