The Food Chronicles - Episode 1
The Power of Herbs and Spices
Ciao -
Welcome to the first episode of the Food Chronicles! If you know me, you know - I’m a total foodie. My website is called foodforlai, after all. I think food is an underrated way to bring people together, to create commonalities, and to unite different cultures. Food is powerful, and food is medicine.
I thought it was only proper to start with the power of herbs and spices, because they are a part of every meal we eat (unless you eat painfully bland foods, which you shouldn't, because, I’ll explain).
Herbs and spices are concentrated powerhouse healers of flavor, antioxidants, and anti-inflammation. When utilized, they can turn a basic dish into a fabulous dish, while also dramatically increasing the health benefits of every meal. Quick tip - when cooking with spices, there is a technique called ‘blooming’, in which you allow the spices to ‘bloom’ over heat to enhance flavor. This can be done by adding all your spices in together with sautéing onions or garlic, or just in some oil over heat for a few minutes until fragrant. It really makes a big difference!
‘Antioxidants’ are a buzz word in the health world, but they are not to be taken for granted. Oxford dictionary describes antioxidants as photochemical substances that help the body fight the damage of free radicals from cell oxidation. Basically, when our body metabolizes food, our cells can be damaged by free radicals, or unstable cells, that are the result of oxidative cell stress. These free radicals are root causes of health issues and inflammation, and antioxidants fight them. Even more basically, antioxidants = something you want a lot of in your diet. Our bodies are amazingly complex, right?!
Lets start with a few kitchen staples -
Cayenne pepper
Cinnamon
Cumin
Garlic (fresh and power)
Ginger (fresh and powder)
Turmeric (fresh and powder)
Paprika
Cayenne pepper, like other members of the pepper family, contain a chemical compound called capsaicin - the cause of the ‘spicy’ reaction when we eat it. It has been shown to increase digestive efficiency from stimulating the nerves in the stomach to create more digestive fluid. It also has been shown to increase metabolism due to the the temperature rise in the body when ingested, which naturally increases metabolic demand.
Cinnamon’s claim to fame is its shown ability to reduce blood pressure and stabilize levels of the bodies ‘good’ cholesterol while lowering the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol - which can help curb type 2 diabetes and heart issues.
Cumin contains beneficial nutrients like iron, zinc, and magnesium, all of which can help the body handle stress, which we all have! It can also help control insulin spikes after eating, which can cause issues with blood sugar and weight gain.
Garlic is said to contain about every nutrient we need, such as manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fiber, along with tons of trace minerals and macronutrients. It has also been shown to help with boosting the immune system and can help with detoxifying heavy metals from the body.
Ginger has been known for thousands of years to help digestion and gassy stomaches, as it has a warming effect like cayenne pepper that increases circulation. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger has also been shown to increase serotonin and dopamine.
Turmeric, the queen that she is, aka ‘the spice of life’ deserves and will be getting her own post. For now, to list off a few benefits - healthier and brighter skin, stunts cognitive decline, reduces heart issues, digestion aid…
Paprika is another pepper family spice packed with essential nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamin A and iron. It also promotes healthy vision through containing high levels of vitamin E and beta carotene - who needs carrots?
Hopefully after reading through the wide variety of fantastic benefits from only this small list of herbs and spices, you are encouraged and excited to implement more flavor and powerhouse healers into your meals. Maybe like me, you’ll never want to eat bland food again!
Food for thought,
Lai