Adding spices to your meal can add balance to your diet and health to your life! Here are some healing spices that are perfect for winter:
Fresh Ginger: Ginger breaks up congestion, improves circulation and burns toxins. Add fresh ginger to juices, teas, and pretty much any vegetable dish.
Cumin: Cumin supports healthy blood sugar levels and is an antioxidant. It has a relaxing effect. Use it in chutneys, salad dressings, herbal teas, curry dishes and sprinkled over foods.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is an antioxidant that supports healthy blood sugar levels. Add cinnamon to flavor desserts, teas and savory Indian curry dishes. It can also be used for pickling.
Turmeric: Turmeric invigorates the blood and stimulates blood formation. A small dose will clean the liver and blood. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce arthritis and inflammation, alleviate pain, and strengthen joints and tendons. Use turmeric in broths, teas, curry dishes and to spice up vegetables.
Rosemary: Rosemary is an antioxidant and has anti-cancer properties. Rosemary has a warming and relaxing effect. It can help cure headaches and improve memory. Add it to teas, soups and tomato-based dishes.
Nutmeg: Nutmeg helps reduce pain and inflammation. It also helps to clear the respiratory passage and normalizes the digestive system. Sprinkle it over soups and warm drinks or mix it into teas and stews.
Cardamom: Cardamom clears food cravings and refreshes the palate. It destroys mucous in the stomach and upper GI tract. Use in after-dinner teas, soups and curries.
Garlic: Garlic helps lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, control triglycerides, and thin the blood, reducing clotting in high-risk heart patients. It also supports general immune function, has a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal action, acts as an antiseptic, fights infection and contains chemicals that help to prevent cancer. It’s great in almost anything you cook!
Saffron: Saffron is a nourishing purifier that invigorates and moves the blood while cooling it. Saffron breaks up blood clots and clears liver stagnation. It is said to improve eyesight and enhance digestion. Use it in desserts, curries, mughlai dishes and paella.
Source: Ashley Pitman, mindbodygreen.com
