What spices are good for your health

It's hard to imagine a modern kitchen without hot pepper or fragrant cinnamon. Spices have become a part of everyday life. But a few centuries ago they were available only to the richest people, because their value in gold was very high. Spices not only gave dishes a luxurious taste, but also had a positive effect on health, supporting the work of internal systems and improve immunity.

Top 6 best spices for health

They are made from specific parts of plants. The familiar appearance of dried spices is very different from their appearance as they grow. You can only see the clove tree in bloom in Zanzibar and Malta. The famous spice plantation in Goa offers a tour and tasting of vanilla, pepper, cardamom and other spices that are grown just a few steps from the tourist trail.

The spices arrive in stores in dried form. Their taste is well known and their medicinal properties come as a surprise to many.

Cinnamon

An invariable component of baked goods and mulled wine, it has a warming effect and goes well with sweet fillings. If the spice is available in the form of sticks, you should opt for it. In this form, the specific flavor and aroma lasts longer. Cinnamon is useful for women during pregnancy and menopause, it stabilizes hormones, improves mood and resistance to viral and bacterial infections. In combination with honey, the therapeutic effect is enhanced. The spice is recommended for loss of strength, during seasonal epidemics of acute respiratory infections, to maintain the beauty and elasticity of the skin.

Cloves

This is the unopened buds of the clove tree. Known for its spicy aroma and bitter flavor. Cloves can be used as an additive in meat and fish dishes and are also used in blends such as curry and garam masala. Indispensable in marinades, preserving vegetables and mushrooms. Cloves are included in the recipes of several alcoholic cocktails and in the composition of mulled wine. It can enhance regeneration, relieve toothaches and headaches, remove bad breath, prevent the formation of tumors. In folk medicine, it is used as an antihelminthic and bactericidal agent.

Curcuma

It is recognized by its intense golden color. Its root looks like ginger, but it has a richer color. The spice is sold in ground form, combines well with pepper. The composition includes a unique substance curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant. The spice is added to soups and main courses, vegetable side dishes, pilaf, stewed fish and meat. To preserve most of the useful substances, the spice is put a few minutes before cooking. It is known to stop the development of cancer cells, preventing Alzheimer's disease. Regular use of turmeric cleanses the liver, supports the immune system, reduces the intensity of inflammation, and gives mental clarity and concentration.

Rosemary

Valued in cosmetology, folk medicine and cooking for its high essential oil content. It has antiseptic and antifungal action. It is used for the prevention of respiratory diseases, bloating, bile stasis. Fragrant spice gives a unique flavor to meat, fish, vegetable marinades, olive oil.

Pepper

Black and red hot pepper is certainly present in the kitchen as the most popular seasoning for meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Without them it is unthinkable to prepare steak, pilaf, vegetable mixes, marinades. Spices have been known for a long time, have a warming and antibacterial properties, accelerate metabolism, whet the appetite, stimulate intestinal peristalsis and inhibit the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Regular addition of pepper in food helps to cope with chronic coughs, skin problems, relieve symptoms of irritability and chronic fatigue. The spice is part of complex seasonings, is revered in Eastern and European cuisine.

Laurel Leaf

Its essential oils are able to clean the air in the room, repel moths and give a unique flavor to the food, stimulating the appetite and speeding up the digestive processes. In ancient times, the laurel wreath was not only a symbol of victory, but gave the wearer stamina, emotional stability, and clarity of thought.

Meat and fish delicacies, soups, marinades are unthinkable without the laurel leaf. Tannins help stabilize bowel function, essential oils and camphor ease breathing, relieve cramps, reduce anxiety. Lavrush calms, improves digestion, speeds up the metabolism, strengthens the immune system and makes it easier to fight excess weight.

The list of known spices is supplemented with oregano, thyme, marjoram, coriander, anise, badjan, sesame, vanilla and cumin. The peculiarity of their use is in strict compliance with the dosage.

Important: Any spice should be added three to five minutes before the dish is fully cooked so as to maximize its usefulness and flavor.

Every country has its own preferences, but the value of spices is not in question. They are sure to be present in almost every dish, adding spice to it, and people - health.