10 Most Powerful Herbs and Spices To Add To Your Diet

Herbs and spices have been used for thousands of years for their medicinal properties and healing powers. Chinese medicine relies heavily on natural ingredients for health and vitality—with good reason. Herbs and spices are commonly used to add flavor to food, but many people don’t realize that adding these tiny touches of flavor also boosts the nutritional value of your favorite dishes. Certain herbs and spices have been researched and proven effective in their inflammation-reducing, cancer-preventing, immune-boosting, and anti-aging properties. These ten little powerhouses of healthy goodness may already be sitting in your pantry or your fridge, so start spicing up your food for better health! 1. Turmeric Turmeric contains a powerful compound called curcumin, which has incredible anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive properties, according to studies. It has shown positive results in improving symptoms of several types of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and autoimmune diseases. (1) Curcumin is so effective that it is even sold as capsules for supplementation. Thousands of studies were conducted to determine the health benefits of curcumin with the same results— curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. It reduces oxidative stress and fights cancer. (2) 2. Oregano Oregano is a popular herb used in Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. In the US, it is primarily used as pizza seasoning in its dried form. Oregano is full of important nutrients , including vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Even though it’s packed with vitamins, oregano’s potency can be attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Oregano possesses two antimicrobial phytochemicals called carvacrol and thymol . Oregano essential oil has been researched extensively for its antimicrobial effects and is proven effective against many kinds of bacteria, including E. coli , S. aureus , […]

Click here to view full article