Spices can lower sugar levels: Cinnamon is especially great for people who have high blood sugar.....
health
Another night of grilled chicken fillet is good for your diet, but it’s also kind of boring. Spicing up a plain-but-healthy meal is good for your taste buds and your health. There are more than 100 common spices used in cooking around the world. Spices like cinnamon, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and cumin, as well as chilli, host many health benefits. They are concentrated sources of antioxidants.
Despite their popular flavour, some people keep their distance from spicy foods because they believe they need to exclude spices from their diet completely to stay healthy. However, there is no evidence that spicy food is bad for you. Spices in moderation are to be enjoyed. The key to doing so-and keeping it a mainstay in your diet-is actually super simple. Ditch the salt and add blends of different spices and seasonings to your meals.
As for how much spicy food you need to eat to get the benefits, doctors recommend that you try to include hot peppers and turmeric in your diet two to three times a week. Since eating them raw can be a challenge, you can sautee them or cook them. Of course, the benefits of your fiery meal depend on its complete nutritional profile, not just the spice. In moderation, the use of spices in meals has been linked to a number of health benefits. Read on...
Spices can lower sugar levels: Cinnamon is especially great for people who have high blood sugar. It lends a sweet taste to food without adding sugar, and studies indicate it can lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon may also provide heart-healthy benefits, such as reducing high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Also, people who eat red chilli peppers have been shown to have lower levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), which is sometimes called ‘bad’ cholesterol because it increases the risk of heart disease.
Spicy food has longevity benefits: Eating spicy food several times a week could help you live longer, according to a recent study published in the British Journal of Medicine. They found that people who ate spicy food six or seven times a week had a 14 per cent lower risk of dying from all causes.
Speeds up your metabolism: Chilli peppers - fresh, dried, or powdered - will give your food a kick. They also may boost your metabolism and help keep blood vessels healthy. One possible reason is capsaicin, the compound that makes them spicy.
Combat inflammation: Turmeric is best known for its use in trad887itional curry dishes and has become a trendy super food for its ability to reduce inflammation - a common cause of discomfort and illness. One of the components of turmeric is a substance called curcumin.
Research suggests that curcumin may help ease pain.
And other research shows that eating even small amounts of turmeric regularly may help prevent or slow down Alzheimer’s disease, possibly by helping prevent the brain plaques that lead to dementia.
Help fight cancer cells: Capsaicin, the ingredient which makes chilli peppers spicy and hot, is thought by certain experts to have anti-cancer properties. Also, studies have found that curcumin has a positive effect on slowing breast cancer, cervical cancer, and stomach cancer, as well as others.
Help kill bacteria: Some studies have also suggested a diet with higher levels of capsaicin may have a protective effect against ulcers by killing the bacteria known as H. pylori. Cumin and turmeric have also been shown to have powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Relieving pain: Because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, curcumin is also effective at reducing pain and swelling in people with arthritis.
Capsaicin may also help by dulling or deadening any sensation of pain in the body. The mechanism here supposedly works by targeting a brain chemical known as ‘substance P’, which plays an important role in cases of hurt and injury. This explains why it can even be used as an ingredient in pain relief creams and medications.
Curb sugar cravings: Spices can also help you cut down on the amount of unhealthy fats and sweets that are too easily added as a quick fix for taste. Because spices are so flavourful, they make it easier to cut back on less healthy ingredients like salt, sugar, and added fat. You rarely want to go to town on sweets once your mouth is all minty fresh. The hot and spicy taste means you don’t want cookies after that.
Burn extra calories: While there is no replacing exercise and cutting back on processed foods, adding spice to your food can speed up the weight loss. Used worldwide and known as a key ingredient in many dishes, cumin is naturally rich in iron. It may play a role in weight loss, too. One study of 88 overweight women found that those who ate a little less than a teaspoon of cumin a day while on a low-calorie diet lost more body fat and weight as those on the same diet who didn’t add cumin.
Also, cinnamon is great because it’s sweet but very low in calories and sugar-free and you can add it to almost anything, including coffee and tea.
Boost your mood: Spicy foods can release the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, which helps boost mood or alleviate depression. In short, ditch the sugar and add some spice to improve and extend your lifestyle and culinary horizons.
