#maintainbody

      Turmeric is native to China. It has a ginger-pepper flavour. Widely used in Indian cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine, it is extensively known for its healing properties due to the high content of curcumin. It is considered a powerful antioxidant and a natural antibiotic that boosts the immune system and promises to protect against cancer.  Try using turmeric to season chickens, rice, salads and soups. Or even for tea.

      Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices in the world. In addition to its fragrance and flavour, cinnamon has nutritional properties. Rich in antioxidants, it helps to control blood sugar levels. Its anti-inflammatory properties help to treat digestive problems, in addition to increasing metabolism.  Try adding cinnamon to fruit salads, yogurts, baked apples and sweet pies.

      Cloves are a spice with a strong taste and smell. Known for their antioxidant action, they have been used for centuries as a natural remedy in oriental medicine. It helps digestion, eliminates intestinal parasites and can be used as an analgesic for toothache. It gives a special flavour when added to desserts, purees and in teas.

      Widely used in Asian cuisine, ginger has a spicy and slightly sweet flavour. Well known for treating diseases such as nausea and stomach pain. With antioxidant properties, it promises to fight muscle pain, infections and prevent colon diseases.  How about adding in chutneys, marinades, cookies and mixing with tea?

      Used as a flavouring in cooking, garlic has been used for its medicinal properties since ancient history.  Well known for its ability to treat heart and blood problems, such as cholesterol, heart attack prevention and hypertension. Currently,   it has also been used for the treatment of various types of cancer.  Research indicates that eating raw garlic, at least twice a week, reduces the risk of developing lung cancer by 44% (Newman, 2013).  We suggest seasoning the oil with garlic and using garlic in the stews.

      In fact, we do not suggest you treat severe diseases switching drugs into herbal remedies with medicinal actions. We know that there are serious diseases and that in advanced stages they need tested drugs with efficient results. Plants should not replace these drugs with the risk that the symptoms worsen and lead to death. What we propose is that these plants are used in daily life spicing foods or while having some tea, in order to have preventive action.  

      Everyone has experienced at least once in their life, some kind of tea, for example, to calm symptoms of a cold or to speed up digestion. Here at home, it is common to drink garlic, lemon and honey tea to calm the initial symptoms of a sore throat, or unsweetened lemon juice to reduce the symptoms of nausea. We also have the habit of using cinnamon in sweets, which besides being delicious, promises to improve blood sugar levels. In theory, if it doesn't hurt, why we should not try?

      So, better spice your life with some household medicines in order to avoid diseases that requires drug treatment.  Isn’t it?

     Tell us, what are the spices you most use in your kitchen?  Do they have medicinal properties?  

Sources used:

Tukua, D. (n.d.). 5 Spices that Heal. Retrieved from Farmers Almanac: https://www.farmersalmanac.com/5-spices-that-heal-20644

Newman, T. (2013, September 09). What are the benefits of garlic? Retrieved from Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853#benefits