Using spices in your cooking adds flavor as well as adding nutrients. Fear of the unknown is the usual reason most people are afraid to add spices to their creations. Truth be told, adding Herbs and Spices to your fruits and veggies adds excitement to your meals as well as a healthier you. When you add herbs to your meals, you increase not just the flavor but also help your family live a healthier life.
For an example let’s take a simple dish of sliced tomatoes. By adding a pinch of sea salt a little fresh ground black pepper and then drizzling it all with olive oil creates a dish that’s simple to make yet loaded with nutrients and health. Sprinkle some Italian parsley and garlic over the tomato before you drizzle it with olive oil and you’ll not only have a delicious side dish, you’ll have one that packs an extra nutritional punch.
Garlic is the immune system defender, helping to fight off disease. Garlic has been used for centuries to fight off a cold and there is scientific evidence to back up the folk lore. While investigating the properties of garlic, researchers found it has antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Scientists also studied garlic in the fight against cancer. Because of the phytonutrients in garlic, it helps block the formation of cancer cells.
Raising the HDL, the good cholesterol is one of garlic’s strong points while it also lowers the LDL, the bad guy. Studies prove that eating 2 cloves of garlic a day lowers your cholesterol by 9%. Garlic thins the blood helping control hypertension. Garlic could be called the spice of life. One of the studies on garlic found that it is important in the production of nitric oxide synthase, necessary for obtaining an erection.
Adding the Italian parsley helps reduce the effects of garlic on your breath but, more importantly it adds tremendous nutritional value. Parsley contains vitamin A, K, C, folic acid, potassium and adds a little more fiber to your diet. It contains powerful antioxidants to fight off free radicals that cause everything from cancer to aging. Popeye could give up a little of his spinach if he added parsley to his diet. It has not just additional iron but also magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and trace amounts of zinc, manganese and copper.
Does the little sprinkle add enough to fulfill you dietary need? No not at all. The addition of spices and herbs to flavor your food simply increases the nutritional intake and flavor without raising the amount of calorie intake. Just a little change can make a big difference in your health when you do it at every meal.
Cinnamon is another one of those spices that added to your breakfast fare will greatly increase your health as well as adding excitement to your breakfast dishes. Adding cinnamon to your coffee filter with the coffee is a great way to start the day. For those with a bit of a sweet tooth, add a little bit of sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon or Ginger on your cereal. Oatmeal will start dancing when you add the cinnamon or ginger.
Cinnamon adds iron, calcium and manganese to your diet. If your a diabetic like me, it helps regulate blood sugar. It attacks yeast infections, aids in various types of cancer, lowers cholesterol, preserves naturally, a great anti coagulant and helps to improve memory. Researchers at Copenhagen University gave patients a teaspoon of cinnamon with a tablespoon of honey every morning for a month. After the first week the patients had considerable relief from arthritis. Walking without pain was possible for most after one month. This combination makes a great topping for toast.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up good tasting food. Quite the opposite is true, adding Herbs and Spices to your food adds excitement and health. Look for ways to increase the nutritional content while also making the food rival with the dishes found in gourmet restaurants. Your family will love you for it and they will never suspect they’re eating healthier.