If variety is the spice of life, there is also an enormous variety of spices brimming with health benefits.
Cinnamon lowers blood sugar and helps circulation, nutmeg and ginger
help with nausea, cardamom soothes indigestion and chilli eases pain.
Cumin for Flu and Colds
An important medicinal herb in Middle Eastern, African and Oriental
cultures, cumin seeds are rich in iron and are used to treat a wide
range of ailments from cold and flu symptoms to allergies. Research on
the oil from black cumin seeds has shown it significantly reduces
allergy symptoms.
One study found it was also effective in neutralising certain breast
cancer cells. This may be due to the fact that it contains limonene, a
phytochemical currently being studied for its cancer-blocking
properties. Another study at the Cancer Institute in Madras showed cumin
blocked 83 percent of chromosome damage created by cancer-causing
chemicals.
Ginger for Digestion and Sickness
Well-known for its ability to prevent nausea and vomiting, ginger
also helps with digestion and improves circulation. In studies at
Brigham Young University ginger outperformed Dramamine in preventing
motion sickness. Researchers at Svensborg Hospital also showed ginger
was as effective as over-the-counter drugs while dealing with motion
sickness. They also found that almost 75 percent of pregnant women who
used ginger were relieved of their morning sickness symptoms without the
possible side effects of drugs.
It helps increase the concentration of amylase in the saliva and
improves carbohydrate digestion. It also increases intestinal muscle
tone and aids digestion, particularly for fatty foods. Ginger contains
powerful antioxidants from the gingerol family which include: zingerone,
shogaol and gingerdione.
Cloves for Bad Breath and Indigestion
A traditional remedy for toothache, cloves are also used medicinally
to treat indigestion, bad breath, parasites and nausea. They contain
eugenol, a powerful anaesthetic used by dentists and a disinfectant.
These antibacterial properties make cloves effective against
staphylococci, the bacteria that can cause pneumonia. Recent studies
have also shown clove oil may have an anticarcinogenic effect.
Researchers found a chemoprotective effect of a water solution of cloves
on skin cancer.
