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Spices can transform your food from bland to exciting. It can give your food flavors and taste that run from sweet to fiery and everything in-between. But there are more reasons to add spices to your food.
Some spices have amazing health benefits, according to Real Simple and have been used medicinally since ancient times. That’s because of the bioactive plant compounds that these spices contain. While people’s pantries will contain many different spices, here are five of the healthiest spices that you should keep in your kitchen.
Turmeric
Turmeric, the golden yellow spice, is a member of the ginger family and comes as a root and grated to use or you can buy dried and ground at any supermarket. It is one of the healthiest spices because it contains curcumin, a powerful phytochemical that has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. There is also some evidence that curcumin could help manage the symptoms related to depression and could help treat Alzheimer’s patients.
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Ginger
This healthy spice can be used as a fresh root or fried and ground into a spice. Either way, ginger has a host of medical benefits. That’s because gingerol, an active compound found in ginger, contains phytonutrients that act as antioxidants. Ginger also has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and painkilling properties. Ginger can also help to alleviate nausea and vomiting and has been used for morning sickness during pregnancy and for people undergoing chemotherapy.
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Garlic
While garlic can be categorized as a vegetable that is part of the onion family, it can also be ground or powdered into a spice reported TODAY. Garlic can enhance the flavor of any dish and boost your health at the same time because it contains allicin. This gives garlic its antioxidants and antibacterial properties. There is also evidence that garlic can aid your immunity and support your heart health.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a rich spice that comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree. This tasty spice has been used for centuries for cooking and medicinal purposes. The compounds in cinnamon have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. You can find dried cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon in your supermarket. This unique spice can be used on both sweet and savory foods so it can be used to cut back on sugar.
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Paprika
Paprika is a very versatile spice, according to Real Simple because it comes in three main varieties, sweet, hot, and smoked. This is linked to the type of red pepper used to prepare the spice. Paprika contains the active plant compound capsaicin that has several proven health benefits including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The spice also contains important vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins A, E, and B6 as well as iron. The hotter the variety of paprika, the more capsaicin it contains.
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