6 Spices That Can Improve Your Health

Adding spices to your dish doesn't just take the flavour to the next level - they can also provide some serious health benefits and significantly improve your overall health. Check out why you should add these 6 spices to your meals for a great health boost!

Did you know the most nutritious foods are where you least expect it? It's true! Some of the healthiest foods are actually spices! Although not typically expected, spices contain excellent nutritional value. Best of all, spices can not only take your dish to the next level, but it can also elevate your health. Adding spices to your food can significantly improve your health. Check out how these 6 spices can improve your health.

Health Benefits of Chilli

• Chilli can Help You When You're Sick. Chilli is rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C will help support your immune system and get rid of the sickness faster. It is also rich in Vitamin A, which is key for respiratory, intestinal and urinary health. 
• Chilli can Help Decrease Your Chances of Heart Disease. Chilli is rich in potassium, riboflavin and niacin. Potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure, and riboflavin and niacin help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Chilli is also rich in antioxidants that can destroy unhealthy cells that attack the heart and body. 
• Chili May Help You Lose Weight. It is a natural appetite suppressant that may increase your metabolism and help you burn off extra calories.
• Chilli is Known for Reducing Inflammation. It is rich in compounds that can alleviate digestive issues, like cramps and bloating, by stimulating the gastric juices to fight the source of the problem. These compounds can also stop the agent responsible for inflammation and alleviate inflammation-related conditions such as arthritis, diabetic neuropathy and more!
• Chili May Alleviate Headaches and Migraines. Capsaicin, a compound in chilli, may even be able to alleviate headaches and migraines.
• Chili Can Help Stabilize Insulin Levels. Chilli contains many compounds that contribute to insulin regulation. Normal insulin levels are essential for preventing and or managing type 2 Diabetes. 
• Chili Can Improve Mental Fog. Chilli is abundant in iron. Iron can increase blood flow throughout the body and especially to the brain. The increase in blood flow to the brain can help keep you alert and decrease your chances of brain-related disorders, like Alzheimer's.
• Chili Can Improve or Prevent Anemia. Our bodies can use the iron and copper in chilli to create healthy red blood cells, eliminating symptoms or stopping anemia's progression.
• Chili Can Improve Eyesight. Chilli is abundant in vitamin A. Our bodies need vitamin A to support our eye health. 
• Chili Can Make Your Skin Glow. Chilli contains high levels of vitamin C. Our bodies use vitamin C to create collagen. Healthy and high-quality collagen are necessary to maintain healthy skin, hair, nails and prevent wrinkles. Some recommend adding chilli to face masks to stimulate blood flow to the skin and reduce inflammation, wrinkles, scars or acne. You can also add chilli to hair masks to give your hair that salon shine.

Health Benefits of Cumin

• Cumin Can Prevent You from Getting Sick. Cumin can kill some bacteria that can make you sick, such as E.coli. It is a natural antibacterial and can be used as a preservative. It is also rich in antioxidants and can help prevent diseases like heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure. 
• Cumin May Prevent Cancer. Cumin may stop or prevent the growth of tumours in the liver, stomach and colon.
• Cumin Can Lower Your Chances of Heart Disease. Cumin may help eliminate bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol levels (HDL). Good cholesterol levels are essential for heart health.
• Cumin Can Help Manage Diabetes. There are many symptoms associated with diabetes that are traditionally treated with prescription drugs. Cumin can be used as a natural antidiabetic drug to treat symptoms like high levels of urea and poor insulin control.
• Cumin Can Relieve Digestive issues. Cumin may relieve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), such as belly pain, bloating, diarrhea, and frequent washroom visits.
• Cumin May Help You Lose Weight. Some individuals have reduced their weight, waist circumference, fat mass, and body mass index (BMI) by adding cumin to their diet.
• Cumin May Prevent or Treat Anemia. Cumin is an excellent supplement for iron. One teaspoon of ground cumin contains high levels of iron. Adequate iron levels are essential to prevent iron-deficiency and iron-deficiency-related conditions like anemia. 
• Cumin Can Decrease Inflammation. Cumin has excellent anti-inflammatory abilities and may help treat or prevent inflammation-related conditions, especially in the respiratory system. 

Health Benefits of Ginger

• Ginger Can Heal Your Upset Stomach: Ginger has been traditionally used to treat digestive problems, including indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. 
• Ginger Can Reduce Inflammation: Ginger has been used to treat many inflammation-related diseases such as arthritis, cramps, asthma, sore throats, muscular aches, dementia, heart disease, and cancer name a few. 
• Ginger Can Boost Your Immune System: Ginger boosts your immune system and helps fight toxins and harmful bacteria.
• Ginger Can Help Fight Diseases: Ginger has compounds that help destroy tumours, control blood sugar and prevent diabetes, prevent clogging of arteries and heart disease, lowers fat storage and helps fight obesity, and much more!

Health Benefits of Garlic

• Garlic Can Boost Your Immune System: Garlic is rich in phytochemicals. Phytochemicals destroy unhealthy cells that can cause serious illnesses, like cancer. Additionally, garlic may help treat the common cold. Garlic's antimicrobial and antibacterial properties can help destroy many illness-causing agents and stop the growth of harmful organisms. Garlic may even serve as an effective natural antibiotic against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and protect you from or treat infections.
• Garlic Can Treat Arthritis: Garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory. It is especially handy for sore and inflamed joints as it may stop cartilage from breaking down.
• Garlic Can Protect Your Heart: Garlic is rich in sulphur, which promotes blood flow and healthy blood pressure levels by opening up your blood vessels. Garlic may also help reduce your cholesterol levels, maintaining the health of your blood vessels.
• Garlic Can Help You Get Rid of Acne: Garlic is rich in antioxidants and antibacterial agents that can help reduce swelling and inflammation in the skin. Consult with your dermatologist for more information.
• Garlic Can Fight Fungus: If you suffer from any fungus-related conditions such as athlete's foot, garlic may be what you need. Garlic can fight the fungus and relieve the itching. Consult with your doctor and before attempting.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

• Cinnamon Can Fight Infections. Cinnamon has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that may fight some fungal and bacterial infections, especially in the respiratory tract, mouth and stomach. 
• Cinnamon Can Improve Blood Sugar Levels. Cinnamon may reduce your blood sugar levels and help control or prevent diabetes. It may also improve your body's sensitivity to insulin and the ability to process sugar, meaning that your body will be able to respond better to food and control your blood sugar.
• Cinnamon May Help Prevent Alzheimer's. Cinnamon may be able to prevent Alzheimer's symptoms from developing. It protects your brain and nerves and may also improve your brain function.
• Cinnamon May Protect Against HIV. Cinnamon, specifically cinnamon extract, may have anti-HIV properties and could treat or prevent HIV.
• Cinnamon May Protect Against Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Cinnamon's anti-inflammatory properties may extend to the nervous system and the brain. Cinnamon may also help prevent the loss of T-cells, which are essential for preventing MS. Cinnamon may also help conserve the myelin coating on nerve endings, which often deteriorate with MS causing nerve damage.
• Cinnamon May Prevent the Negative Effects of High Fat Meals.  Cinnamon is abundant in antioxidants. High-fat meals may cause negative responses in your body. The antioxidants in cinnamon may prevent symptoms from appearing. 
• Cinnamon May Treat and Heal Chronic Wounds. Cinnamon contains antibacterial properties that can destroy bacterial biofilms and allow for the healing of wounds.
• Cinnamon May Improve Your Heart Health. Cinnamon is full of many compounds that can lower blood pressure and improve aerobic athletic performance.
• Cinnamon May Help to Prevent Cancer. Cinnamon may have the ability to destroy or prevent the growth of cancer-causing tumours. The antioxidants in cinnamon may also fight damaging cells that can lead to cancer.

Health Benefits of Tumeric

• Turmeric May Reduce Inflammation. Turmeric's anti-inflammatory abilities are credited to curcumin. Turmeric may be as effective at reducing inflammation as over-the-counter-medications. Managing inflammation is vital as many serious diseases, like arthritis, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease, are related to inflammation. 
• Turmeric Promotes Heart Health. Turmeric keeps your blood vessels healthy, allowing for better regulation of your blood pressure. It is crucial to maintain healthy blood vessels to maintain heart health, especially as you age. 
• Turmeric May Prevent Cancer. The curcumin in turmeric works to disrupt and kill cancerous cells, to prevent or potentially treat tumours.
• Turmeric May Alleviate Joint Pain. As stated above, the curcumin in turmeric actively reduces inflammation. A reduction in inflammation can reduce stiffness, pain and improve skeletal function. Turmeric is often recommended for those with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Turmeric May Prevent or Help Manage Diabetes. The curcumin in turmeric may help control and manage blood sugar and blood insulin levels. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric may also alleviate diabetes-related conditions such as diabetic nephropathy.
• Turmeric May Prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Turmeric helps keep your nerve cells and your nervous system healthy. With Alzheimer's disease, nerves deteriorate, causing memory loss. 
• Turmeric May Help to Treat Depression.  Turmeric can act on the brain and provide a natural antidepressant effect by boosting the protein responsible for brain and nerve health. However, more research is needed to confirm its use in treatment.
• Turmeric Can Give You Glowing and Youthful Skin. Turmeric contains antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties allow it to treat many skin conditions like acne, eczema and ageing. 
• Turmeric Can Boost Your Immune System.  Turmeric is abundant in antioxidants. Antioxidants work to protect your body from free radicals. High amounts of free radicals in the body can damage your healthy cells and put you at risk for diseases like cancer, arthritis and heart disease.

Overall, there are many reasons to add spices to your foods. Whether you're looking to add some flavour or boost your health, spices are the way to go. Spices have been used for hundreds of years and will continue to be relevant in the future due to their countless health benefits. So, start building your spice rack for ultimate health benefits!