The power of spice...

Using herbs and spices is a great way to make food tasty without adding salt or sugar.  But the great thing about herbs and spices is they are low calorie and have beneficial properties that can help boost health and brain power and burn fat, making the humble spice into a superfood that should be incorporated into our diets right now!

I have written about the health benefits of Turmeric before, but let's take another look.  The key molecule in turmeric is curcumin which is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to help relieve pain in arthritis patients, injuries and helping to speed up healing when applied in paste form to wounds, and even dental problems.  It is also thought to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

But turmeric can also help the liver to function better by stimulating the production of bile by the gallbladder that is used by the liver to filter and flush out toxins.

Turmeric is a root similar to ginger but a bright yellow color.  You can find it in root form, powder or as supplements.

Ginger is one of my favorites since I was a child.  Ginger although quite spicy has a soothing effect on the digestive system.  It is especially good to help with morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy.  Ginger is a great way to calm that feeling of sickness whether it is due to morning sickness or travel sickness.  Ginger tea is a great help, and if you add some lemon and honey it's a great cold remedy.

But the benefits of ginger don't stop there.  Ginger can also give you great skin with a healthy radiant glow and glossy air.  How?  Simply ginger stimulates the circulation, which in turn allows more nutrients to reach each organ.

Another really clever spice to have around is cinnamon.  This wonderful spice is a great brain booster which researchers say can improve a person's ability to learn.  Apparently cinnamon reverses biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes that occur in the brains of people with poor learning abilities.

The cinnamon stimulates the hippocampus, a small area of the brain that is responsible for generating, organizing and storing memories.

But there is yet more to this wonderful spice.  Experts say that cinnamon is a healthy substitute for sugar and artificial sweeteners.  You all know how bad sugar is for us, but artificial sweeteners aren't much better and have been associated with mood swings, depression and increased appetite.  So try adding it to foods you would normally add sugar or sweetener too and see if that helps.

Right here you have 3 of the 5 ingredients for a "golden latte", this is the latest craze as far as lattes go, so if you want a healthier wake-up drink in the mornings without the caffeine kick try this:

1 piece ginger (about the size of your thumb)
1 5cm piece fresh turmeric
1 date
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
1/4 tbsp cinnamon powder, plus a little extra for dusting.

Peel the ginger and turmeric.
Put the milk of choice with the ginger, turmeric, date and cinnamon in a saucepan and heat gently.
Transfer to a blender and blend until well combined and frothy.
Pour into two cups and dust with cinnamon.

I love hot spicy food, so I am really pleased that cayenne pepper falls into the superfood category.  This has even been found to help in the fight against obesity.

A powerful compound in cayenne pepper is called capsaicin, this jump starts our metabolism and may boost the body's ability to burn fat in a process called diet-induced thermogenesis (when you break out in a sweat after eating something spicy hot).  This process is excellent for weight loss as it encourages the body to burn calories and some studies have shown that spicy food with chillies in it helps to decrease appetite.

Saffron is the gold standard of spices as it is even more expensive than gold!

This spice has been used  for centuries in Persian culture, where it was usually added to teas or rice, as a mood lifter.  Saffron extract helps boost serotonin levels, making you feel happier.

So next time you are at the supermarket, pick up these 5 superfoods and add them to your basket.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com