Health Benefits of Power Spices
There’s a lot of evidence that spices aren’t just tasty, they can help you to stay healthy! And you should use spices whenever possible! Spices, like fruits and vegetables, are high in antioxidants and they contain anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial components. These healthy components are more concentrated in small amounts in spices. When used regularly, culinary spices and herbs can help reduce inflammation, fight free radicals, aid digestion and circulation, boost immunity, and lower blood sugar.
You can really aid in your family’s health when you learn to use spices in your everyday cooking. I am going to be posting recipes that use some of the most healthy “power spices”, and today’s dish includes cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin.
Cinnamon: Traditional Chinese medicine considers it a “warming remedy”. It is a good source of manganese, iron, and calcium, and it aids digestion. Some studies have shown that as little as one teaspoon of cinnamon a day can help lower blood sugar. It may also help to reduce blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
Turmeric: This spice is one of the main ingredients in curry powder. It contains curcumin, which is the plant chemical that is responsible for the spice’s vivid yellow color. It is a very potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Some studies have shown that turmeric activates cellular defense mechanisms in genes. In India, where the spice is used very commonly in everyday cuisine, there is a very low incidence of some cancers, and research has shown that the spice may be helpful as an adjunct (addition to traditional medicine) treatment for cancer.
Cumin: This pungent spice contains both thymol and cuminaldehyde, two chemicals which stimulate the production of saliva and digestive enzymes. These powerful chemicals aid in digestion and help to eliminate gas. Other essential oils in cumin are strong anti-virals which help to relieve illness like the common cold. It is rich in iron (above 66 mg. iron in each 100 grams of cumin), and so is good for those with anemia.
OK, so now that we know how good three of our power spices are for us, here is a delicious recipe! The fresher the spice, the more flavorful and potent it is, so make sure to replace your old spices.
Cinnamon-Spiced Moroccan Chicken—serves 4
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into small cubes
½ cup whole dates, pitted and sliced
Combine 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon with the cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken and toss well to coat.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan. Saute the chicken over medium heat until no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet.
Saute apples and dates in the skillet for 1 minute. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon cinnamon, cook and stir to coat. Spoon apples and dates onto chicken. Serve warm. Serve over couscous if desired.
