Best Spices And Herbs You Should Have In Your Kitchen
Whether you love cooking or do so out of necessity, you will agree: a fine kitchen must have an excellent hob and a variety of herbs and spices. Whether traditional or modern, herbs and spices are essential ingredients of every food. However, besides adding flavor to your foods, herbs and spices are beneficial for your health.
But there is a problem; you have difficulty choosing the right ones for your kitchen. The options available in today’s market are overwhelming. Plus, choosing herbs and spices with proven benefits is challenging. That is why, to help you out in your quest for the best herbs and spices, we have compiled a list of 10 you will certainly want to consider for your kitchen!
1. Cumin
Along with adding depth and enticing fragrance to your favorite meals, cumin has many health benefits for you as well. Research suggests that cumin helps you lose weight, decrease cholesterol levels, improve gut health and manage blood glucose levels.
In addition, cumin may also improve your mental health as it reduces stress and improves memory. You can find cumin in seed or ground form or in products containing mixed spices.
2. Cinnamon
A highly delicious spice, cinnamon, can be an additive for both sweet and savory dishes. But more importantly, perhaps are its benefits for your overall well-being. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Inflammation is your body’s normal response to harmful things like bacteria. But when inflammation runs wild, it can cause diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, and many cancers.
Research shows cinnamon protects your heart against many diseases. Furthermore, cinnamon has a solid antidiabetic and anti-cancer effect as well.
Whether in fresh, granulated, or powdered form, you can use garlic in various foods to enhance flavor. But in addition to its flavoring properties, it also has many medicinal ones. For example, it is very nutritious, providing the body with essential minerals like magnesium and vitamins like vitamin C and B6.
If you or your family often suffer from the common cold, garlic can be helpful as it not only prevents the common cold, but if you do get it, garlic reduces the number of sick days. To add more, garlic reduces blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, thus lowering the risk of heart diseases.
Furthermore, garlic is loaded with antioxidants and thus may prevent diseases like Alzheimer's and improve longevity.
The king of spices, black peppercorn is that flavorful spice that you end up using in almost every savory dish, apparently a well-deserved name. But it's not just the flavor that makes it so useful. Research shows it is filled with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Just like garlic powder, black peppercorn may improve memory and have a protective effect against brain diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. In addition, it may help control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol, as evidenced by many studies.
On top of that, black pepper may also fight cancers like breast, prostate, colon, etc. Although most of these studies were done on animals, they show potential benefits of black pepper for humans, that too, without any side effects.
5. Turmeric
The traditional Indian spice with the powerful active ingredient “curcumin”, turmeric may be the most nutritional supplement in existence. It has numerous documented health benefits for you, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
In addition, research shows curcumin lowers your risk of heart diseases, but if you do get one, it treats it effectively. Similar effects have also been absorbed against various cancers. On top of that, curcumin may be a potential supplement for longevity.
In one study, curcumin was more effective in treating arthritis than an anti-inflammatory drug. Furthermore, curcumin helps against depression, improves your brain health, and may help in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
6. Thyme
It is a woodsy, lemony herb, and as far as herbs go, it has the most earthier flavor. But its real value lies in its impressive range of use. For example, in various forms, thyme can help manage conditions like cough, acne, high blood pressure, and bacterial and fungal infections.
What’s more, research shows that thyme essential oil may protect against cancers, house molds, and even pests like the mosquitos. Thyme is a versatile herb with plenty of uses, but most studies have been done in labs and animals, and the evidence is not conclusive.
7. Rosemary
The evergreen herb with a woody aroma, rosemary, not only tastes good but has many health benefits. For example, it may reduce stress, improve mood, strengthen memory and improve overall brain function. Research shows rosemary may also help with joint inflammation and reduce pain.
To add more, rosemary improves circulation and has anti-cancer properties. However, it is necessary to note that most of the research explored the benefits of rosemary oil and not the herb. Yet, that does not mean the herb form will not provide these benefits.
8. Oregano
Oregano is another traditional herb that has been used to add flavor as well as promote health. It almost seems universal for herbs and spices to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and so does oregano. On top of that, oregano is effective against many infectious bacteria.
Carvacrol, one of the chemicals found in oregano, has also been shown to have anti-cancer properties and may help against colon cancer. However, these benefits have not been replicated in human studies yet.
Herbs and spices are essential ingredients in most dishes, but their health benefits remain unknown to many. Diet is a crucial factor in maintaining overall health. Consequently, it becomes necessary that people realize the potential benefits of herbs and spices and use them more often to improve their well-being. These herbs and spices are also available in supplement form, either alone or mixed with others
