The Spice of Life

3 spoonfuls of spices animate into view alongside the text "Season Your Plate, Boost Your Health: 3 Flavorful Spices with Science-Backed Health Perks"

Spices add the complexity and depth that make dishes memorable. Certain spices may also add health benefits...

Let's get a taste for three spices of special scientific interest that you should consider adding to your favorite foods: turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. While these can be taken as supplements, the most widely accepted use is in food.

TURMERIC

Grown in India and South-East Asia, turmeric is a knobby root known for the potent anti-inflammatory action of its active ingredient, curcumin. Curcumin is poorly absorbed in the digestive tract but adding pepper boosts absorption 20-fold! No wonder turmeric and pepper are often combined in traditional dishes, including curries—ancient wisdom at its finest. Try turmeric powder sprinkled on cooked cauliflower and other vegetables, or mix it into your favorite smoothie (check out the recipe at the end of this newsletter).

Here's an interesting fact:

Alzheimer's disease is less prevalent in India than in the United States. While the precise reason isn't known, one theory suggests that the high consumption of turmeric in the Indian diet might play a role.

Various forms of turmeric: raw unaltered, sliced, and ground

↪ Learn more about turmeric in our Lifestyle Library

GINGER

Boosted by the active ingredient gingerol, ginger has a wide range of stomach settling and anti-inflammatory effects. Many of us have childhood memories of being comforted with ginger ale during illnesses. Sailors historically used ginger to keep motion sickness at bay during extended voyages. There is some evidence that ginger may help with nausea, menstrual pain, and morning sickness.

Various forms of ginger: raw unaltered, sliced, and ground

An easy way to enjoy ginger is to make your own tea by steeping some peeled, chopped ginger root in hot water, optionally sweetening the tea with a chopped date.

CINNAMON

Prepared from the inner bark of Asian trees, cinnamon has a unique property apart from its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Though studies show mixed results, some data suggest that cinnamon may modestly improve blood sugar by enhancing insulin’s effectiveness. Definitely not strong enough to be part of a treatment plan, but it could offer a small benefit.

A word of caution: The most common type of cinnamon sold in North America, cassia cinnamon, contains coumarin—a mild liver irritant (not to be confused with the blood thinner Coumadin). A light daily sprinkle is harmless, but consuming around a teaspoon or more per day could pose a risk.

Various forms of cinnamon: dried sticks and ground

An alternative is Ceylon cinnamon, which comes from a different plant than cassia cinnamon and has much lower levels of coumarin. It's slightly more expensive but Ceylon cinnamon has a milder flavor that some prefer.

↪ Learn more about cinnamon in our Lifestyle Library

A Power-Packed Spice Trifecta Recipe

A glass filled with a bright orange creamy-looking drink, with a blue striped straw

This golden smoothie is packed with anti-inflammatory goodness and features a tasty blend of all three spices mentioned above:

1 cup plant milk (such as soy milk or almond milk)
1 peeled banana, frozen
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch of black pepper (2-3 turns on a pepper grinder or about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon peeled, minced ginger (or 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger) - add a little more if you like more zing!
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, frozen
Optional: 1 teaspoon honey (or to taste)

Put all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and frothy.

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