Spicing Up Your Food and Your Health

article by Shannon Dahlum, FDN-P

Next to the crisp weather, my favorite part of fall is the flavors. Warm spices jazz up drinks and dishes this time of year, like cinnamon and clove, and their scent and flavor feel like a fuzzy warm blanket to me. Clearly, I’m far from alone in my excitement about all things cinnamon and clove. Love it or hate it, the pumpkin spice latte has practically developed a cult following. Honestly, the those aren’t really my thing, but I definitely am giddy about making my own cozy drinks full of autumn spices. It feels like I’m drinking a warm hug, but it’s so much more than just great flavor.

If you know me, you know I really geek out on wellness stuff. Herbs and spices are true powerhouses when it comes to supporting our bodies, and some of my favorite fall spices have me swooning over their irresistible combination of flavor and health supporting benefits. Here are five common fall favorites and a couple of simple, tasty ways you can enjoy their benefits daily!

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is easily one of the most common baking spices present in American home kitchens. However, most varieties that are found in grocery stores (whether “cassia,” “Saigon,” or just “cinnamon” are on the label) contain a liver toxic compound called couramin, which data says may be harmful if you use more than 2 tsp per day. If you’re going to be purposeful about including cinnamon daily, look for the lighter, sweeter variety known as Ceylon which as 1200 times less couramin.

Health Benefits:
• Helps regulate blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce hemoglobin A1C (a diabetes marker)
• Fights breast, lung and prostate cancers
• Reduces chronic inflammation
• Prevents heart disease by decreasing total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and increasing HDL
• Lowers blood pressure
• Decrease Alzheimer’s risk by inhibiting buildup of harmful proteins in the brain
• Reduces risk of gastric ulcers by stunting the growth of H. Pylori, the bacteria implicated in ulcers that may lead to stomach cancer

Cloves
Cloves are actually flower buds from a large tree that originated near Indonesia, and they have been used for their medicinal properties in China since 600AD. They have the highest antioxidant concentration of any other food, and 3-15 times more than any other spice or herb. This makes them incredibly powerful inflammation fighters! Of course the clove itself if very tough and inedible, so if you cook them in liquids to allow their flavor to steep, be sure to pull them out before consuming. The easiest way to work them into your cooking or beverages is to use them ground.

Health Benefits:
• Reduce whole system inflammation
• Kill tumor cells; they possess anti-tumor properties for skin, colon, breast cervical and gastric cancers Lower blood sugars and reduce diabetes risk
• Help metabolize and detoxify chemicals and drugs from the body
• Promote liver health with targeted anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
• Preserve bone density and strength
• Protect stomach from ulcers
• Kill bad bacteria, including E.Coli, Staph, and Bacillus cereus- nasty bugs that can make us sick

Allspice
Allspice, while it sounds like a combination of many spices, are dried berries from the Caribbean Pimenta dioica tree. It smells like a blend of cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves, which is how it earned its name from the British in 1621. It’s rich in eugenol, a phytochemical with an impressive list of body supporting benefits.

Health Benefits:
• Selectively kills cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone and prevents cancer cell proliferation • Reduces inflammation throughout the body
• Fights diabetes by lowering blood sugars and helping with carbohydrate metabolism
• Combats stress by modulating neurotransmitter release and exerting antioxidant activities in the brain
• Protects against diarrhea and stress induced GI discomfort (less cramping, bloating, and urgent trips to the bathroom)
• Prevents stomach ulcers
• Soothes indigestion by stimulating digestive enzymes
• Antibacterial and anti-fungal
• Alleviates symptoms of menopause due to its hormone modulating properties
• Decreases blood pressure

Cardamom
The sweet-spicy taste of cardamom is prevalent in Indian cooking, but has recently become more popular in United States. Green cardamom is sweet and floral, and is the variety used in drinks and baked goods. Black cardamom is smoky and is better suited for savory dishes. Both varieties contain the phytochemicals cineole and limonene.

Health Benefits:
• Enhances tumor killer cells and impedes development of breast, skin and colon cancer
• Lowers blood pressure and reduces stroke risk
• Diuretic effects can help with bloating
• Stimulates gut motility and relieves constipation
• Relieves abdominal spasms, as in irritable bowel syndrome
• Protects against stomach ulcers
• Soothes asthma symptoms by relaxing airways in the lungs
• Reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, protecting blood vessels from plaque buildup

Ginger
Ginger is an intensely flavored root that originated in China, and was historically used for relieving cough, colds and flu. Research has identified over 60 phytonutrients responsible for its wide variety of benefits. When shopping for fresh ginger root, look for shiny, taut skin. The skin should be thin enough to nick with your fingernail, not thick and fibrous, and it should smell pungent and spicy. Store your fresh ginger in the freezer and grate it when needed, or if you’ll be using it up within acouple weeks, store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Of course, ground ginger is a great choice, too, and is much easier to find and store.

Health Benefits:
• Reduces risk of cancer by killing and preventing spread of cancer cells
• Promotes weight loss by aiding digestion and suppressing fat cell creation
• Alleviates nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, surgery, pregnancy or motion sickness
• Receives pain from menstrual cramping, heavy workouts, rheumatism, or osteoarthritis
• Prevents and heals stomach ulcers caused by stress, painkillers, alcohol, and H. Pylori, by strengthening the protective mucosal layer of your stomach
• Increases liver’s detoxifying enzymes
• Alleviates allergies by inhibiting histamine release
• Reduces risk of diabetes by lowering blood sugar, improving insulin signaling, and stimulating enzymes that process antioxidants

Turmeric
Turmeric is another root that’s very similar to ginger except for it’s bright orange flesh. Over 1700 lab studies have shown its potential to curb obesity, reduce diabetes, protect against cardiovascular disease, and fight cancer. The key component in turmeric that possesses all this healing power is curcumin, an intense antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Store fresh turmeric just like fresh ginger and grate before use. But be careful, that bright orange flesh and juice can stain! Once again, the dried powdered version is easier to use. The one downside to turmeric is that the body doesn’t easily absorb and make use of its supportive benefits, but adding black pepper along with it will enhance it’s bioavailability. Including some healthy fats into your turmeric containing recipe and heating it also improve your ability to absorb and utilize it.

Health Benefits:
• Prevents cancer cell growth, kills tumor cells and inhibits gene expression associated with cancer development
• Boosts yowur body’s natural antioxidant enzymes and directly removes cell-damaging free radicals
• Greatly reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the digestive system, alleviating inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, chronic pancreatitis, and stomach ulcers
• Improves carb and fat metabolism
• Suppresses fat accumulation by decreasing the number and size of fat cells
• Reduces blood sugar levels to combat diabetes
• Increases the liver’s natural detox enzymes and protects it from damage
• Protects the brain from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Alleviates symptoms of asthma by reducing inflammation in the respiratory system
• Ameliorates autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis, due to its anti-inflammatory effects

Black pepper
Including black pepper alongside turmeric enhances the effectiveness of curcumin by up to 2,000%! Piperine is the phytochemical in black pepper that gives it its kick and makes other nutrients more bioavailable, or usable by your body. It assists not only turmeric, but any other spice or food you put with it. It boost nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E and B, beta carotine, selenium, magnesium, calcium and iron. It also increases your body’s absorption of the antioxidants in fish, meat and green tea. Adding just a little bit to your recipes can go a long way! It only takes about 1/8 tsp to yield these benefits.

Health Benefits:
• Promotes digestion by enhancing secretion of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes that break down food
• Serves as an antioxidant that protects cells throughout the body
• Augments the action of other antioxidants in the body (like glutathione, superoxide dismutase, Vitamins E and C)
• Fights cancer by inhibiting tumor cell growth
• Reduces breast and lung cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis
• Suppresses fat accumulation and increases fat burning enzymes
• Acts as a diuretic
• Displays antibacterial properties that help prevent flood from spoiling
• Improves brain function with anti-depression and memory enhancing properties

Now that I have you all excited about the incredible benefits of theses spices (or is it just me?), you’re probably wondering how to easily work them in every day. No worries, I’ve got you covered there, too! Here are two delicious warm drinks that together, include all of the spices we just covered. Enjoy starting your day with the Spiced Coffee and ending your day with the Bedtime Tea, and you’ll not only be treating your tastebuds, but also supplying your body with incredibly powerful disease fighting, wellness boosting superstars. That’s something your artificially flavored pumpkin spice latte can’t do.

Spiced Coffee Makes 2
2 cups milk
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cardamom 
Pinch of ground cloves
2 shots espresso
1 tsp raw honey, optional

Combine your milk and spices to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and immediately remove from heat. Add your espresso and honey, if using, to the scented milk and stir until combined. Pour into two mugs.

Bedtime Tea Makes 2
2 cups water
1/2 cup tart cherry juice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
3-4 black peppercorns 
2 chamomile tea bags 
Raw honey to taste

Tart cherry juice contains melatonin, so it’s a great addition to an evening drink to promote better sleep. Combine the cherry juice and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the spices. Add the tea bags, cover, and allow to steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and strain into two mugs.