Benefits of Spices and Teas

Spice up your life and warm up the winter months, by adding teas with spices into your day. Spices not only add flavor but makes food and drink more enjoyable. They also provide some great health benefits.

Cinnamon: The sweet and spicy flavor of cinnamon has been used by many different cultures for its medicinal properties for hundreds of years.

One of the most talked about benefits of cinnamon relates to type 2 diabetes. A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It also aids in reducing cholesterol.

Benefits include: Supports digestive function, constricts and tones tissues, relieves congestion, relieves pain and stiffness of muscles and joints, relieves menstrual discomfort, blood-thinning compounds that stimulate circulation, anti-inflammatory compounds that may relieve arthritis, helps prevent urinary tract infections, tooth decay and gum disease. It’s also a powerful anti-microbial agent that can kill E. coli and other bacteria.

Nutmeg: Nutmeg is another spice that has a variety of healing properties and can be used in a wide range of dishes. It is useful for: Insomnia (nutmeg can produce drowsiness so it should be taken when you have a chance to relax or sleep), nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, joint pain and gout. Nutmeg is a good addition in the diet for those with high blood pressure, or cholesterol problems or wanting to stimulate concentration. * Nutmeg should only be a used in small doses.

Clove: Cloves have a potent, sweet and spicy, aromatic flavor that makes a great complement with many foods. They have been consumed in some areas, such as Asia, for more than 2,000 years. Among the clove’s most well-known healing properties for is its ability to relieve tooth and gum pain, but it has many benefits beyond that. These include: anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties, relief from respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis, help with muscle pains from injuries to arthritis. Cloves are also known to help with eliminating intestinal parasites, fungi and bacteria.

Ginger: Zesty and very warming, ginger is an excellent way to improve poor circulation to all parts of the body . Its medicinal properties include: helping relieve nausea, motion sickness and other stomach upset. Boosting the immune system, and can help protect against bacteria and fungi.

Anise: has a lovely licorice-like flavor. Anise seeds aids digestion and freshen the breath. Anise also helps soothe a cough, improves bronchitis and its naturally sweet flavor can be blended with other herbs to make a pleasantly sweet tea. Benefits by helping to restore digestive equilibrium so use if bloating, wind and heartburn is a problem. A common ingredient in cough mixes as is good for bronchitis and is a wonderful expectorant.

Cardamon: Mos t people are familiar with cardamom from fragrant Indian dishes, but this flavourful spice does more than lend flavor to curries and chai: It also has numerous health benefits, such as improving digestion and stimulating the metabolism.

Detoxifies the body of caffeine, cleanses kidneys and bladder. Stimulates digestive system and reduces gas, expectorant action. Improves circulation to the lungs and thus considered good for asthma and bronchitis. Often used for people with digestive problems as it can counteract excess acidity.

Black pepper: stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Some scientific studies suggest that black pepper may have a number of important health benefits. One of the most important benefits is the ability to improve digestion and aid the digestive system and intestines.

Alleviates loss of appetite – again, black pepper wakes up and stimulates your taste buds. Stimulates the breakdown of fat cells. Helpful for hemorrhoids, gas and constipation, it also promotes sweating, promotes urination and has anti-bacterial properties.

Sourced from Red Seal