3 Of The Very Best And Tastiest Spices For Your Health

These may already be in your pantry!

By
Published September 13, 2024
Natalia Klenova/Shutterstock

When my husband’s blood sugar spiked into the pre-diabetic zone, he was concerned — especially since Type 2 Diabetes runs in his family. He began lowering his sugar intake, eating more whole grains and making steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast. I bought him a jar of cinnamon, which researchers agree can lower blood glucose levels.

We traded brown sugar on our hot cereal for a half teaspoon of cinnamon — sweetening our mornings, spicing up bland oatmeal and benefitting our health.

Doctors and medical researchers advise improving our diets by eating less red meat and other saturated fats, consuming more plant-based foods and limiting highly processed foods. Herbs and spices have also been used for thousands of years for flavor and health. Many of them are already in your pantry and readily available at grocery stores, farmers’ markets and mail-order companies. Before adding any supplements to your diet, check with your doctor to make sure it won’t interfere with any conditions or medications.

Golden Turmeric

Benefits:

This fragrant orange spice adds bright color to your dishes and has long been used in India and China for medicinal properties. “The active ingredient is a natural compound (polyphenol) called curcumin, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,” says Mary-Even Brown, R.D.N., in “Turmeric Benefits” on Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Healthline defines antioxidants as “molecules that can help your body fight off harmful free radicals, which have been linked to health conditions like diabetes and cancer.”

Research studies are ongoing to determine if turmeric might reduce inflammation in the brain, possibly reducing the risk of dementia. Since turmeric neutralizes pollution and sunlight — known as free radicals — our cells become shielded from damage and ease inflammatory pain from arthritis.

Usage:

Once an exotic, foreign spice, turmeric has become more mainstream in the United States and is being identified as a superfood. You can make or buy turmeric tea, lattes and smoothies. Adding black pepper (another important spice for your health) might enhance absorption into our bodies. Turmeric is often used to make curries, giving a healthy and bright boost to chilis, soups, stews, rice dishes, tacos and roasted vegetables like cauliflower.

Zingy Ginger

Benefits:

Ginger has been an integral part of Asian cultures and cuisines for thousands of years. Remember how our parents made us drink flat ginger ale for tummy aches? It’s been a long-time remedy to aid digestion and soothe nausea. Travelers find it helpful for motion sickness and pregnant women sometimes use it to alleviate morning sickness (again, check with your doctor).

Ginger root has a tan coating that is peeled and then minced or grated. If you can find it in a farmers’ market clipped fresh from the stem, it has a unique crunch with a texture similar to garlic.

Usage:

Ginger tea is the most common form in prepared tea bags or grated fresh and steeped in hot water. Add it to muffins and cookies; who doesn’t love ginger snaps? Instead of buying high-sodium stir fry sauces, make your own:

Combine chopped ginger, low-sodium soy sauce, chicken or vegetable stock, rice wine vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice and a teaspoon of cornstarch.

Get out the wok and stir-fry vegetables and tofu, progressing from the longest cooking time to the crispest: onions, broccoli, sweet peppers, pea pods and so forth.

At the last minute, add the homemade sauce and cook for two minutes until slightly thickened.

Serve with whole-grain rice; go beyond the usual white varieties and try red or black forbidden rice, which is healthier due to its complex carbohydrates.

Ceylon Cinnamon

Benefits:

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree, dried and curled up to become sticks, later ground into a fine spice powder. Most of the cinnamon sold in grocery stores is the Cassia variety, a darker color and stronger flavor than Ceylon, which is cultivated in Sri Lanka and India. Both have health benefits, but Ceylon is preferred by chefs for its mild and sweet flavor, making it ideal for use in desserts.

According to Healthline, Ceylon and Cassia have been claimed to “benefit blood sugar control, which is important for people with diabetes.” Both contain essential oils that studies have shown might block proteins in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Promising research is being done to determine if turmeric can ease symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Usage:

Ceylon cinnamon’s taste lends itself to naturally sweetening granola, oatmeal and baked goods like muffins, waffles and pancakes. Sprinkle it on applesauce or yogurt. You could even add it to peanut butter. Experiment with it in chili and meat-based recipes. Cinnamon sticks add a new flavor to winter stews.

Warning Note

The latest testing by food safety scientists has found high levels of lead in certain manufacturers’ cinnamon. Lead levels are especially risky for pregnant women and children. Before purchasing, check this list from Consumer Reports to see which products are safe.

Shopping Advice

Dried spices have a shelf life, so it’s best to buy small amounts. Sniff any of your spice jars; if there isn’t any aroma, it’s time to replace them. Large cities have spice stores where you can buy only an ounce at a time.

Here’s a selection of mail-order companies from around the country: Frontier Co-op, Rumi, Penzey’s, La Boite Spices, The Spice House, Burlap & Barrel and Kalustyan’s.

 

Do you eat a lot of the above spices? Let us know in the comments below.

Candy Schulman’s essays, health, and travel pieces have appeared in AARP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Next Avenue, Oldster, Parents, Travel & Leisure, among others. She is a creative writing professor at the New School in New York City and a private writing coach. Learn more at www.candyschulman.com.