Turmeric: The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Turmeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye. The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric helps improve many health conditions including cancer, psoriasis and Alzheimer's disease. Turmeric has also shown to help with weight management and joint health.
Cinnamon: While it brings out (and warms up) the flavors in the foods it is paired with, cinnamon will also help keep your arteries healthy, manage blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol.
Coconut Oil: For decades coconuts have gotten a bad rap because of their high saturated fat content. Turns out coconuts are healthy - coconut oil is swimming in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), fats that can be metabolized faster than other oils and help absorb nutrients. Some preliminary studies also suggest that the MCFAs in coconut oil may help treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Lou Gehrig's, MS and diabetes. The lauric acid in coconuts may help the body fight viruses. In addition fresh coconut meat is an excellent source of fiber and raw coconut water is rich in minerals, including potassium, manganese and magnesium.
Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanna-dolgoff-md/healthy-spices_b_876363.html#s294335&title=Cinnamon, Women's Magazine, Well-Being Journal
Do you eat any spice for its medicinal properties?
What else should I add to my "cure-all concoction"?
What else should I add to my "cure-all concoction"?
I like that the turemeric and coconut oil don't add flavor, or very little.
ReplyDeleteTurmeric has also been shown in some studies to slow the spread of cancer and on that note, my mom has been taking fairly high doses of it over the last year and feels that it has possibly worked in her favor. She was off of her long term chemo meds for the past 10 months and guesses there is a probability that this was one of the reasons.
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