Herbs & Spices and Pain
There are herbs and spices which are potent antioxidants, anti-microbials, and anti-inflammatories. Many have anti cancer properties, heal digestive issues, fight the common cold, and much more. As you can see, adding spices to your dishes adds more than just flavor. Take a look and see what health benefits are spinning around your spice rack!
| Spice | Medicinal Properties |
| Bay Leaf | Antioxidant, helps chelate heavy metals, anti-carcinogenic |
| Ginger | Improve digestion, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory |
| Clove | Good for sinus, anti-carcinogenic, anti-peroxidative activity |
| Mace | Prevent colic, diarrhea |
| Nutmeg | Benefit spleen, healing for common cold |
| Cinnamon | Aides digestion, helps sore throat |
| Cardamon | Soothe indigestion, relieve gas |
| Cumin seed | Helps chronic diarrhea, hoarseness of voice |
| Saffron | Antispasmodic, expectorant, anti-carcinogenic, radical scavenger, hypolipaemic, anticonvulsant effects, improves learning and memory |
| Garlic | May lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and anti-carcinogenic, decrease incidence of colonic polyps |
| Tumeric
(major component is curcumin) |
Strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiprolifertive agent by down regulating Cox2, iNOS and cyclin D lowers histamine levels, protects liver, prevent platelet clumping for improved circulation and protection from arthrosclerosis |
| Fenugreek | Increases antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPX), inhibit tumor growth, Historically used for relief of bronchitis, sore throats, tuberculosis, swollen glands, skin irritations, gout, diabetes, and lowers cholesterol. |
Reference:
Ganguly, C. 2010. Flavoring agents used in Indian cooking and their anticarcinogenic properties. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. 11:25—28.