Top five spices for good health

Spices are real superfoods - so never forget to season your food!

What are the top spices for good health?

1st place: Turmeric
Turmeric is a popular Indian spice that has also been used as a remedy for thousands of years, especially in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Its active ingredient curcumin offers enormous health benefits: it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, supports digestion and intestinal health. Many ongoing studies are investigating turmeric`s healing effects on cancer, diabetes, inflammatory gut diseases and even osteoarthritis.
Turmeric`s slightly earthy, bitter-hot flavour is perfect in all curry dishes, but also in sauces, smoothies, rice, couscous, savoury pastries and, last but not least, golden milk.

2nd place: Pepper
Black pepper increases the bioavailability of turmeric by 2000 times, making it a real superfood. For black pepper, the peppercorns are harvested unripe (green), then stored for a few days and finally dried in the sun. White and black pepper are the hottest and have the highest content of piperine. This ingredient is said to have numerous health benefits: it has digestive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects. It is also supposed to have a positive effect on diabetes, cancer and asthma. The list of potential applications is impressively long.
It is best to add the pepper at the end of the dish and not to cook it with the food, then its health effects are strongest.

3rd place: Chilli pepper
Chilli pepper lovers have known it for a long time: chillies are healthy! Studies have shown that regular consumption of chillies increases intestinal motility, helps with flatulence and improves other gastrointestinal complaints. They also stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and thus promote digestion and intestinal health. But that`s not all: chilli has a blood pressure-lowering effect, improves the flow properties of the blood and lowers cholesterol levels. This can prevent cardiovascular diseases. Chilli also has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect, can balance blood sugar levels, strengthens the immune system and protects against Helicobacter pylori, which can cause stomach ulcers. Last but not least, eating chilli makes you happy, because capsaicin lifts your mood, and eating it stimulates the release of endorphins.
But as with many things: don`t overdo it, because excessive consumption can also have negative consequences for the stomach and intestines. It`s all about the right balance.

4th place: Ginger
Ginger contains a variety of health-promoting ingredients, including gingerol and resin acids. It is also rich in vitamin C and contains magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Ginger has an antibacterial effect and is THE immune-boosting remedy for colds, whether fresh or dried, as a spice, as a tea or in honey. It has both preventive and soothing effects. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, stabilises the intestinal flora, helps with indigestion, stomach complaints, heartburn and irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and also helps against travel sickness. Its anti-inflammatory effect is also used to treat arthritis. Studies are also underway on its effectiveness against cancer.
Its fruity pungency can be used in an incredibly wide range of ways: as a spice with vegetables, in curries or rice, in soups, smoothies, teas, as ginger lemonade, candied, pickled or grated raw into muesli.

5th place: Cinnamon
Cinnamon has long been used in medicine because of its various health-promoting qualities. It contains the flavour-giving essential oil of cinnamon bark, which consists mainly of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. Cinnamon has antispasmodic, antibacterial, circulatory and digestive healing effects. It is traditionally used for gastrointestinal complaints, heartburn and flatulence. Due to its mood-lifting effect, cinnamon is also said to help with mild psychological complaints. In addition, it reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can thus protect the heart.
The spicy-tart and slightly sweet aroma is a must in Christmas biscuits, mulled wine and punch, but cinnamon also goes great with feta cheese and in oriental dishes.
Important: Cinnamon has a relatively high allergic potential, so do not consume too much of it!