Herbs and spices are essential elements of cooking, but did you know they also provide some health benefits? To start with, properly seasoning healthy foods (hello, vegetables) can make us more likely to eat them. But beyond that, there are also certain compounds in different herbs and spices that have been shown to exhibit healing properties.

Chef and master spice blender Lior Lev Sercarz says that while spice preferences are very individual, there are some key things to consider. “You need some form of salt, whether it’s fine salt, coarse grain or fleur de sel.” Spices that provide elements of heat (like pepper or chiles), savory notes (like cumin) and sweetness (like cinnamon, which can be used in both sweet and savory dishes) along with others you enjoy will help build flavor.

For those cooks looking to add flavor and help their bodies at the same time, here are 10 herbs and spices you need to stock in your kitchen.
Lior Lev Sercarz. (Photo by Thomas Schauer.)

Turmeric

This golden spice has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of health conditions. Many of its health benefits have been attributed to turmeric’s active component curcumin, which has been shown to fight inflammation. It has been studied for its potential to help fight cancer, type 2 diabetes and more. Enjoy turmeric in grain dishes, sauces, curries or even beverages like golden milk or smoothies.

Black Pepper

Black pepper contains a compound called piper line that has been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties. Additionally, black pepper stimulates digestive enzymes, enhancing the absorption of nutrients. Adding it to turmeric tea, for example, will help you absorb the curcumin more efficiently. Black pepper has also been found to have anti-tumor and anti-mutagenic properties. Grind it up and use liberally in any dish to which you want to add heat and depth.

Ginger

Ginger, a cousin to turmeric, has also been widely used for centuries to treat digestive ailments. This versatile, warming spice has been shown to have various components with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may play a role in managing and preventing disease. Enjoy it in sweet and savory dishes alike.

Cinnamon

Traditionally, cinnamon has been used as a remedy for many ailments, and research has shown it may also help manage blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Use it in sweet dishes like baked goods or sprinkle it over oatmeal or plain yogurt or add it into a beverage. It also works beautifully in savory dishes like chili and curry.

Cayenne Pepper

Capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne and other peppers their burn, is also what’s behind this spice’s healing properties. For example, it’s been shown to fight inflammation, suppress appetite and (slightly) boost metabolic rate. Add it as a garnish to healthy snacks like hummus with veggies or popcorn, or to add heat to sauces, soups, stews and chili. For a sweet and spicy treat, it’s delicious with homemade hot cocoa.

Paprika

Sercarz loves paprika, which comes from the Capsicum genus of peppers. It’s noted for its antioxidant activity and is nutritious to boot: a teaspoon of paprika provides almost 40 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, and it also contains a modest amount of iron to help you reach the recommended daily level. Paprika works well as a garnish or as an ingredient in a complex dish or marinade.

Rosemary

Rosemary, a relative to mint, is a fragrant, versatile herb that can be used in its fresh or dried form. Rosemary extract contains antibacterial and antioxidant rosmarinic acid as well as polyphenols that have been associated with numerous health benefits like improved digestion, stable blood pressure and even cancer-inhibiting effects.

Oregano

Oregano provides vitamins A, C, E and K, along with folate, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium as well as some fiber. It has also been studied for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Oregano and oregano oil have also been associated with cancer-fighting qualities. Enjoy it in marinades or added to sauces, dressings and soups.

Cumin

Sercarz loves cumin for its “savory, salty element.” It also contains numerous flavanols and phenols. Cumin has been researched for its potential use as a treatment for conditions like cancer and diabetes. Use it to add flavor to vegetable dishes, meat, stews, marinades and more—the possibilities are endless.

Fennel Seeds

A tablespoon of dried fennel seeds provides 2 grams of fiber, 7% of your daily calcium needs and 19% of your daily manganese needs. Certain compounds in fennel and fennel seeds like anethole have been shown to have anticancer properties. They are also sometimes recommended to breastfeeding women to help boost milk production.

Selecting and Storing Spices

Sercarz says, “Whether you’re making elaborate cuisine or reheating something in a microwave,” spices can elevate your experience. He recommends purchasing the best spices you can and in the smallest quantity possible. It’s also important to store them in an airtight container and to keep away from heat and humidity.

10 Healing Herbs and Spices

1. Cayenne

Capsaicin, the oily compound in cayenne and its peppery cousins, is the active ingredient in many prescription and over-the-counter creams, ointments, and patches for arthritis and muscle pain; it’s also used for treating shingles pain and diabetes-related nerve pain. Cayenne is thought to act as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Sprinkle some onto your chicken soup to turbocharge that traditional cold remedy, since cayenne shrinks blood vessels in your nose and throat, relieving congestion. It’s also a metabolism booster, speeding up your calorie-burning furnace for a couple of hours after eating. (Here are more simple ways to get the metabolism of a 25-year-old.) Cayenne is thought to act as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Studies find that it also has some anticancer properties, and researchers are exploring its potential as a cancer treatment. Finally, in at least one study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that people with diabetes who ate a meal containing liberal amounts of chile pepper required less post-meal insulin to reduce their blood sugar, suggesting the spice may have anti-diabetes benefits.

2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon on toast or oatmeal is so tasty it’s hard to believe the brown powder has any health benefits at all, but it’s actually one of the most powerful in our roundup of healing herbs and spices. It’s become most famous for its ability to improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Some of its natural compounds improve insulin function, significantly lowering blood sugar with as little as 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1 mL to 2 ml) a day. (Don’t miss these other strategies to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.) The same amount could cut triglycerides and total cholesterol levels by 12 to 30 percent. Cinnamon can even help prevent blood clots, making it especially heart smart. Like many other spices, cinnamon has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s been shown to conquer E. coli, among other types of bacteria. Researchers have even discovered recently that it’s rich in antioxidants called polyphenols—another reason it’s good for your heart. It’s also high in fiber (after all, it comes from the bark of a tree) and can reduce heartburn in some people.

3. Cloves

Cloves, an aromatic spice common in Indian cooking, contain an anti-inflammatory chemical called eugenol. In recent animal studies, this chemical inhibited COX-2, a protein that spurs inflammation (the same protein that so-called COX-2 inhibitor drugs such as Celebrex quash). Cloves also ranked very high in antioxidant properties in one study. The combination of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties spells heaps of health benefits, from boosting protection from heart disease to helping stave off cancer, as well as slowing the cartilage and bone damage caused by arthritis. Compounds in cloves, like those found in cinnamon, also appear to improve insulin function.

Have a toothache? Put a couple of whole cloves in your mouth. Let them soften a bit, then bite on them gently with good molars to release their oil. Then move them next to the painful tooth and keep them there for up to half an hour. (If that doesn’t work, try these other effective home remedies for toothaches.) Clove oil has a numbing effect in addition to bacteria-fighting powers. In test tubes, cloves also killed certain bacteria that were resistant to antibiotics.

4. Cilantro

Coriander seeds yield cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, a staple herb in Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian cooking. The seeds have been used for thousands of years as a digestive aid. Try making a strong tea from crushed seeds—just remember to strain before drinking. (Alternatively, you might try these effective natural digestive supplements.) The herb can be helpful for some people with irritable bowel syndrome, as it calms intestinal spasms that can lead to diarrhea. Preliminary studies in animals support another traditional use for coriander—as an anti-anxiety herb. Its essential oil appears to fight bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella. It’s also being studied for its potential cholesterol-reducing benefits and has been shown to lower cholesterol in animals. Like many other herbs, this one acts as an antioxidant. According to one study, cilantro leaves provide the most antioxidant punch.

5. Garlic

Smash a clove of garlic and take in the pungent fragrance. That famous odour comes from byproducts of allicin, the sulfur compound believed to be responsible for most of the herb’s medicinal benefits. It’s what gives garlic its “bite.” When eaten daily, garlic can help lower heart disease risk by as much as 76 per cent. How? By moderately reducing cholesterol levels (by between 5 and 10 per cent in some studies), by thinning the blood and thereby staving off dangerous clots, and by acting as an antioxidant. Garlic’s sulfur compounds also appear to ward off cancer, especially stomach and colorectal cancer. The compounds flush out carcinogens before they can damage cell DNA, and they force cancer cells that do develop to self-destruct. Strongly antibacterial and antifungal, garlic can help with yeast infections, some sinus infections, and the common cold. It can even repel ticks (as well as friends and family, if you eat enough). Here are five ways ticks can be harmful to your health.

6. Ginger

This gnarled root has been a major player in Asian and Indian medicine for centuries, primarily as a digestive aid. Today researchers are most excited by ginger’s ability to combat inflammation. Several studies have found that ginger (and turmeric) reduces pain and swelling in people with arthritis. (Here are more anti-inflammatory foods that can actually help reduce pain.) It may work against migraines by blocking inflammatory substances called prostaglandins. And because it reduces inflammation, it may also play a role in preventing and slowing the growth of cancer. Ginger’s good for the tummy, too. It works in the digestive tract, boosting digestive juices and neutralizing acids as well as reducing intestinal contractions. It’s also proven quite effective against nausea. In fact, at least one study found ginger to work just as well as Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) and other nausea-stopping drugs, with the added benefit that it doesn’t make you sleepy. The trick is to take ginger (in tablet, powder, or natural form) before you think you may become nauseated, when it works best. If that doesn’t work, try these other effective home remedies for nausea.

7. Mustard

Mustard is made from the seeds of a plant in the cabbage family—a strongly anticancer group of plants. Indeed, mustard seeds contain compounds that studies suggest may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Mustard also packs enough heat to break up congestion, the reason it was traditionally used in chest plasters. Like cayenne pepper, it has the ability to deplete nerve cells of substance P, a chemical that transmits pain signals to the brain, when used externally. A mustard compress also brings more blood to the fingers of people with Rayna phenomenon, a circulatory problem that causes frigid fingers. Mustard is also said to stimulate appetite by increasing the flow of saliva and digestive juices. A bit of mustard powder added to a footpath helps kill athlete’s foot fungus. (If that doesn’t work, try these other remedies for athlete’s foot.) Don’t eat too many mustard seeds or more than a teaspoon (5 ml) of mustard powder; the former has a strong laxative effect, while the latter can induce vomiting.

8. Nutmeg

Like cloves, nutmeg contains eugenol, a compound that may benefit the heart. It was one of the key spices that give the Spice Islands their name, and some historians link its popularity in the spice trade to the hallucinatory effects that result from ingesting large amounts. The euphoria, which is due to nutmeg’s active ingredient, myristicin, is described as similar to that caused by the drug ecstasy. Don’t worry about your teens raiding your spice drawer for a quick high, however; it also packs some nasty side effects, and nutmeg poisoning is a very real risk.

Medically, nutmeg (the seed of an evergreen tree) and mace (the covering of the seed) have strong antibacterial properties. It’s been found to kill a number of bacteria in the mouth that contribute to cavities. (Here are more secrets dentists wish you knew.) Mysticism has also been shown to inhibit an enzyme in the brain that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease and to improve memory in mice, and researchers are currently studying its potential as an antidepressant. These are five of nature’s most powerful antidepressants.

9. Sage

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that “sage” describes a wise person; the herb is a known memory enhancer and has been shown in some lab studies to protect the brain against certain processes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. (Check out these other strategies to improve your memory.) In at least one human study, a sage-oil concoction improved the mood of participants, increasing their alertness, calmness, and contentedness. In a British study, healthy young adults performed better on word recall tests after taking sage-oil capsules. Like so many other healing herbs and spices, sage has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as anticancer actions. One of its phytochemicals is thujone, best known as a chemical in the liquor absinthe that is said (falsely) to have hallucinatory effects. Today sage shows potential as a diabetes treatment. It appears to boost the action of insulin and reduce blood sugar. As a result, sage is sometimes called nature’s metformin since it performs like the common anti diabetes drug. Some researchers have already suggested that sage supplements may help prevent type 2 diabetes. These are the silent signs you might have diabetes.

10. Turmeric

Turmeric, the spice that gives curry powder its yellow hue, is used in Indian medicine to stimulate the appetite and as a digestive aid. But lately it’s grabbing some serious attention as a potentially powerful cancer fighter. The chemical responsible for turmeric’s golden colour, called curcumin, is considered a top anticancer agent, helping to quell the inflammation that contributes to tum our growth and working in much the same way as broccoli and cauliflower to clear carcinogens away before they can damage cellular DNA and to repair already damaged DNA. Lab studies show turmeric helps stop the growth and spread of cancer cells that do form. Research suggests that it may protect against colon cancer as well as melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are investigating a combination of curcumin and phenethyl isothiocyanate (the anticancer compound in calciferous vegetables) as a possible treatment for prostate cancer. (These are the signs of prostate cancer men often ignore.) Studies have also linked turmeric to reduced inflammation in a number of conditions, including psoriasis. In animal studies, curcumin decreased the formation of amyloid, the stuff that makes up the brain deposits characteristic in people with Alzheimer’s disease

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Healing Herbs and spices

10 Healing Herbs and Spices Every Cook Should Know