Spice It Up!

As human beings we get stimulated by using our senses. When it comes to food, we use seeing, smelling and tasting. In fact, it's just enough for us to smell something good to start salivating and feel hunger. Whether you like cooking and experimenting in the kitchen or enjoy trying new foods, spices are a great way to get those senses going. In addition, spices have many beneficial properties that can help us fight inflammation post exercise and protect us from different risk factors such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
             

Below are four examples of great anti-inflammatory spices, what their potential benefits are and where we can add them:

• Cayenne pepper - A part of the capsicum family. Made from dried ripe fruit of the red pepper. Used topically and orally. Contains an active ingredient called capsaicin. Capsaicin is a very potent anti-inflammatory. Orally, it has been shown to be effective for mild indigestion. Topical application has shown promise in helping with pain relief, arthritis, skin disease and cluster headaches. Cayenne is spicy and therefore would work well with meats, chili, seafood, vegetables and Mexican food.
  
  
• Ginger - The underground stem of a the plant that looks like a root from southern Asia. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence suggests that ginger may be effective in helping with nausea from multiple causes (motion sickness, pregnancy and post surgery). It has also been found to be possibly effective in treating osteoarthritis (bone disease) and high cholesterol. Ginger is great in Asian food (e.g. stir fry, sushi or vegetable curry), baked goods (e.g. ginger bread or cookies)
  
  
• Turmeric - Also known as curcumin. Similar to ginger, it is from the underground stem of the herb Curcuma Longa. The curcuminoid compound (curcumin) is a potent anti-oxidant (helps fight "toxins" in the body called free radicals) and anti-inflammatory. Has been shown to be effective for indigestion and osteoarthritis. There are multiple preliminary studies showing cancer protective affects, less soreness post exercise, improved depression symptoms and improved blood sugar levels. Turmeric is great in Indian food, egg salad, grains, vegetables and beans.
  
  
• Black pepper - A dried fruit from the piperaceae family. Contains an active compound called piperine. Piperine enhances our ability to absorb (bio-availability) anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory's from fruits and vegetables. In fact, it can enhance bio-availability of curcumin by 2000%. Due to its enhancing effects pepper could help with any of the benefits mentioned above as well as enhancing the properties of the vegetables you sprinkle it on. Pepper can be used in all dishes (even in fruit).
  
  
  All these spices can help you increase your A game by helping fight inflammation caused by your activity. Moreover, it can make your food smell and taste better. So next time you are in the kitchen, make sure you spice it up!
  
  Happy Labor Day!