Top 10 Healthy Spices And Herbs List

We are starting the healthy spices list with:

1. Turmeric

The Best Kind: Use pure, raw turmeric powder with a high curcumin concentration (8% to 12% for cooking varieties; if you take it as a supplement, it will be higher). 

Health Benefits: Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  It can help manage arthritis pain, heart health, brain function, gut and metabolic health. (1)

Tips: 

• To maximise turmeric’s health benefits,  combine it with black pepper, which increases curcumin absorption by 2000 per cent! (2)
• Turmeric is fat-soluble; therefore, using the spice with healthy fats will help your body absorb it better. 
• Don’t overheat it; try adding turmeric at the end of cooking to preserve most of its nutrition. 

Cooking:I love adding turmeric to stews, curries, and chickpea shakshuka. I also sneak it into smoothies with a bit of pepper. Ginger, lemon, and turmeric tea are my go-to hot drinks in cold winter.

Number two on the healthy spices list :

2. Ginger 

Best Kind: Use fresh ginger root, which has a higher concentration of gingerol, the compound responsible for ginger’s medicinal properties. When choosing powdered ginger, choose organic, freshly ground ginger from a reputable source. 

Health Benefits: Ginger aids in digestive health, reduces nausea, and can help with muscle pain and soreness. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Tips: 

• To make sure your ginger root doesn’t mould and spoil, keep it in a dry place and avoid moisture.
• Freeze Whole Ginger to make it last for months. Then, grate or slice it directly from the freezer. 
• Gentle heating can increase some of ginger’s benefits, but overcooking might kill many nutrients, so add ginger toward the end of the cooking to preserve all the nutrients and potency.  

Cooking: For a warming and spicy kick, incorporate fresh ginger into teas, smoothies, stir-fries, and soups.

3. Garlic

Best Kind: Fresh garlic cloves provide the most health benefits compared to powdered or granulated garlic.

Health Benefits: Garlic supports cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It also has immune-boosting properties.

Tips: 

• If you have a sensitive stomach, use garlic powder rather than fresh garlic. Black garlic is also much gentler on your stomach, it is also softer, and very sweeter in taste. 
• Removing the green sprout in the centre of a garlic clove can help reduce ‘garlic breath’ and make it easier to digest. 
• Store whole garlic bulbs in a cool, dry place. Avoid plastic bags or sealed containers, which can trap moisture and boost mould growth. Whole garlic bulbs should not be stored in the fridge, as the cold and humidity can reduce their shelf life.
• The health benefits of garlic come primarily from allicin, a compound that forms when garlic is chopped. To maximise the amount of allicin, prepare garlic at least 10-15 minutes before cooking and let it sit on a chopping board. 
• Mix garlic with healthy fats, like olive oil, to help increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and compounds.

Cooking: Use minced or whole cloves in sauces, dressings, marinades, or as part of the seasoning. I like sprinkling garlic powder on roast potatoes. My stomach can’t handle raw garlic, so I add black garlic cloves to hummus, giving it a more subtle and sweeter taste. 

4. Peppers (chilli pepper, paprika) 

Best Kind: Fresh chilli peppers will have the highest levels of vitamins and minerals. But you can still use high-quality, pure chilli powder, smoked or mild paprika without additives as it is so versatile and will last so much longer than fresh papers. 

Health Benefits: 

Chillies can boost metabolism, help relieve pain, and reduce the risk of heart disease. 

Capsaicin in peppers can help with weight loss and prevent weight gain by increasing calorie burning, enhancing fat oxidation, and reducing appetite. 

Chilli peppers are rich in antioxidants, like vitamins C and A, flavonoids, and carotenoids, which help fight oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. 

Some in vitro trials suggest capsaicin can kill cancer cells and reduce the size of certain cancerous tumours (3)(4). 

Chilli peppers can help digestion by increasing digestive fluid production and protecting the stomach against ulcers.

Tips: 

• Vitamin C in paper helps absorption of  Iron from other plant sources, so add chilli when cooking lentils, greens, and beans. 
• Start with small amounts to see how your body reacts, mainly if you’re not used to spicy foods.
• There are many chilli peppers, each with its flavour profile, heat level, and nutritional benefits, so experiment and find the ones you like the most. 

Cooking:  Add to soups, stews, sauces, or marinades for a spicy heat. I add multiple kinds of peppers to so many dishes, from shakshuka and baked beans to soups, and even sprinkle a tiny bit in smoothies or salads. 

5. Cinnamon

Best Kind: choose Ceylon cinnamon over Cassia cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is lower in coumarin, a compound that can be harmful in large amounts. 

Health Benefits: Cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk factors, and has anti-inflammatory properties(5) control blood pressure, tumour growth, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases (6)

Tips: 

• Use it to sweeten coffee, tea, or whole-grain toast to lower your sugar intake while benefiting from its blood sugar-regulating effects.
• I would avoid cinnamon supplements as they can contain concentrated amounts of compounds, making it easier to exceed safe consumption levels. 

Cooking:  Sprinkle over oatmeal or popcorn, blend into smoothies, or add to your baking for a sweet and warming flavour.

Make cinnamon tea. Soak a cinnamon stick in boiling water or add ground cinnamon to herbal teas for a warm, antioxidant-rich drink. My favourite snack is popcorn with cinnamon and some organic, unrefined sugar.