You
know that moment when you walk into a room and a rich tasty smell wraps
every single molecule of air you breathe? That smell that makes your
stomach grumbles right away…
It’s because of the spices!
I know that some
spices have that effect quite drastically on me. My personal favourite
is Garam masala. Good gosh does it ever smell amazing in my house when
we use it! The beauty of it is that along with its great taste, it also
has many beneficial attributes for my health and my family’s health.
This is what I want to tell you about today. The healing power of
spices! They don’t just turn bland food into fun, full flavoured foods;
they also help you heal your body!
I have been researching spices and their health benefits over the last few weeks and have found a great book with proven uses and effects of specific spices. The book is called; Healing Spices: How to Use 50 Everyday and Exotic Spices to Boost Health and Beat Disease. The doctors that worked on the analysis are very passionate and reveal many uses I never would have thought about!
Here are some common spices you should add to your diet if you experience any of these symptoms.
Insulin resistance: 1 gram of fenugreek seed daily soaked in hot water.
Stress relief: Spice up your veggies and meats with Basil, Mint or Rosemary
Motion or morning sickness: 1 gram of ginger 30 minutes ahead of travelling
Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes: 500mg of cinnamon a day (=1/4 tsp)
High blood pressure: 1 gram of garlic extract
Flu/Cold prevention: 1 clove of garlic a day
Mild Depression: 15 mg of Saffron twice a day
Cholesterol Problems: 1 clove of garlic a day
Migraines: 1 to 2 grams of ginger at first sign
Here are two amazing spice blends that you must have in your cupboard for fast delicious meals.
If
you were around last year, Lise had talked about spices on Day 2 of the
2012 Advent Calendar. This is such a big subject with complicated
facets that I thought it merited an encore. Depending on your ethnic
origin, you may have a background rich in flavours from exotic or Middle
Eastern regions or you may have been brought up on salt and pepper…
There is so much to learn about spices and our goal is to enrich you
with trusted references!
Phase 4 tip…
Cocoa powder
(flavanol rich) is known for a variety of health benefits not the least
of which is its naturally occurring antioxidant powers. Not only does
that sound great but it also tastes great! Adding cocoa to your diet
will improve your digestive track, your immune system, your arteries,
your cardiovascular health; it will help in lowering your LDL (bad
cholesterol), normalizing blood pressure, helping with memory loss and
slowing down skin ageing. So add it to your fun day baking and your warm
drinks whenever you can!
So
now, you are likely wondering what this Garam Masala which I love so
much is all about, so here goes: Masala means “a blend” and Garam means
“hot”. In the typical blend, one would find black and white peppercorns,
cloves, cinnamon for which the virtues have already been described
above, black and white cumin seeds, and black, brown and green cardamom
pods which have so many health properties that you won’t believe it.
From teeth and gum infections to lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis… and
from digestive disorders to breaking up kidney and gall stones…
Imagine all the ways you can help yourself and your family by adding a
dash of this and a dash of that!
the last few weeks and have found a great book with proven uses and effects of specific spices. The book is called; 