Ginger and Spices for Your Health

You hear talk everyday about proteins, carbohydrates and fats as part of a healthy or non-healthy diet but one thing that so many people seem to forget is how spices can fit into all of this. Alternative medicine and nutrition is a topic that is becoming more popular today in the health world as many people are starting to realize how much it can aide their physical well-being.

Not only do spices offer you health benefits and protection against some diseases they can also help to make your food taste great! This is especially important because oftentimes the reason why a great number of people have difficult sticking to their diets is because of how ‘bad’ healthy food tastes. If you know how to prepare it properly using both wise cooking methods and flavoring choices you can have a delicious and nutrition healthy meal.

Below are some spices that you would be very smart to include on a daily basis.

Basil: Basil is a spice that is often added to many dishes such as vegetables, fish and pasta. It’s health benefits are that it can help with anxiety, colds, depression and also boosts the appetite. For older adults who have trouble maintaining their weight this can be a particularly helpful spice.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is one of the more widely popular spices and is used in a wide variety of dessert foods, breakfast dishes and even some main course meals. Combined with a low calorie sweetener it is the perfect topping for pies, cakes or other baked goods. From a health standpoint, it is great for relieving cramps, bloating and gas. You may also find it easier to maintain your weight when included in the diet as it will help give you the feeling that you are eating a sweet type of dessert that would have normally been high in calories.

Dill: Most people know dill as the spice that goes with pickles or fish. It is commonly used in combination with lemon juice in recipes and offers assistance with indigestion, bad breath and insomnia.

Garlic: Another extremely common spice that is used more often than not in main course meals is garlic. Most Italian pasta recipes are heavy in garlic as is Caesar Salad. It’s health benefits are that it is said to protect against heart disease, asthma, the flu and stomach cancer. It is also an excellent antiparasitic for those who deal with this issue.

Ginger: Ginger is another relatively spice and can be used in main course meals or often in desserts or cookies. One very popular German recipe that utilizes ginger is Pfeffernusse. With regards to your health, ginger will help with motion sickness, headaches, cramps and arthritis. It is a much better choice for many people who would normally just reach for an over the counter painkiller.

Mint: When most people think of mint they think of gum or an after dinner candy. While this spice is great for those purposes it can also offer many health benefits so finding dishes that use it is a fantastic idea. It will help you deal with gas, nausea, fatigue, motion sickness and digestion.

Oregano: Another very popular spice used in Italian dishes, Oregano is known to have antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. This herb also helps with symptoms of nausea.

So next time you are looking for ways to increase the health properties of your meals consider giving spices a try. You will enjoy the taste of your foods more and often feel better because of it. Remember that using fresh spices is usually best, however if this is not possible you can always use packaged. Make sure you don’t over look the healing properties of spices!