People have been using herbs and spices for thousands of years. Spices have even influenced world history. Herbs generally come from the green leaves of plants or vegetables. Spices, on the other hand, come from other parts of plants and trees. Some herbs and spices are valued for their taste. They enhance the flavour of many foods. Others are chosen for their scent. Some have been used traditionally for health reasons. When people think of improving their diet, they often talk about eating more fruit and vegetables. Some want to eat more fish and less red meat, as well as reducing their portion sizes. However, they could improve their diets even further with one simple addition.
American researchers have found that a diet rich in spices can help to offset the harmful effects of eating high-fat meals. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University reported these findings. Penn State Associate Professor Sheila West led a study investigating the health effects of a diet rich in spices. They knew that a high-fat meal produces high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat, in the blood. West said, “If this happens too frequently, or if triglyceride levels are raised too much, your risk of heart disease increases. We found that adding spices to a high-fat meal reduced the triglyceride response by around 30 per cent compared to a similar meal with no spices added.” As part of the study, the team prepared meals on two separate days for six men aged between 30 and 65. The men were overweight but healthy. The researchers added approximately 30 millilitres of spices to each serving of the test meal, which consisted of chicken curry, Italian herb bread, and a cinnamon biscuit. The control group’s meal was the same, but without any spices.
Ann Skulas-Ray was also a member of the research team. According to her, the team used paprika, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves and garlic powder. These spices were chosen because they had previously demonstrated strong antioxidant activity in laboratory tests. During the experiment, the researchers took blood samples from the men every 30 minutes for three hours. They found that the antioxidant activity in the blood of the men who ate the spicy meal was 13 per cent higher than that of the men who did not. Additionally, insulin activity decreased by around 20 per cent in those who consumed the spicy food.
Sheila West says that many scientists believe oxidative stress leads to heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. But what exactly is oxidative stress? Imagine an apple that has been cut in half and left for half an hour. The cut side of the apple turns brown. This is a simple explanation of what happens when oxidative stress comes into contact with the inside and outside of our bodies. Professor West says, ‘Antioxidants, like spices, may be important in reducing oxidative stress and thus reducing the risk of chronic disease.’ She adds that the amount of spices used in the study is equivalent to the level of antioxidants found in 150 ml of red wine or 38 g of dark chocolate. Other scientists are also investigating the potential health benefits of spices and herbs. For instance, researchers at Purdue University in Indiana claim that red pepper could help people to lose weight. This could be particularly true for those who don’t usually add peppers to their food. In 2011, the researchers reported on the effects of dried and ground cayenne pepper in the journal Physiology & Behavior. They found that small changes to one’s diet, such as adding the pepper, may reduce one’s desire to eat. Most chilli peppers contain capsaicin. — a substance that gives chili peppers their hot and spicy taste. Other studies have shown that capsaicin can reduce hunger and burn calories — the energy stored in food.
Twenty-five people of normal weight took part in the six-week study. Thirteen of them liked spicy food. The other 12 did not. The researchers decided how much red pepper to give to each group. Those who liked spicy food received one and eight tenths of a gram of the pepper. The others received 0.3 grams.
Those who did not normally eat red pepper showed a decreased desire for food. This was particularly evident with regard to fatty, salty and sweet foods. Purdue University professor Richard Mattes said this effect may only apply to people who do not usually eat red pepper. He added that the effectiveness of the pepper may be lost if spices are a regular part of a person’s diet, and that further research is needed. Other studies have shown that capsaicin helps to suppress the build-up of body fat. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that capsaicin may reduce abdominal fat. The study organisers said that this reduction possibly occurs because the spice alters certain proteins found in fat, causing them to break down the fat.
The health benefits of spices have sparked such interest among scientists that recent discoveries are helping to move them from traditional medicine into real science. For example, researchers in Virginia discovered that curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, stopped the Rift Valley fever virus from reproducing in infected cells. This sometimes deadly virus is carried by mosquitoes. It can affect humans and some farm animals, such as cattle and goats.
Aarthi Narayanan is an assistant professor at George Mason University in Virginia. She led a study investigating curcumin. She says her team of researchers found that the spice may interfere with the way in which some viruses cause human cells to stop reacting to an infection. She hopes that they can discover drug treatments to defeat several types of virus. She says it is possible that curcumin will be part of those cures.
A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that curcumin can enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients. It also shows promise as a potential drug to support chemotherapy.
Turmeric comes from a tropical plant that is native to India. Scientists have been examining its potential medical applications for many years, and studies show that its qualities may help protect against tissue damage and other injuries. Researchers have also suggested that turmeric may reduce evidence of damage in the brains of patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease. For this reason, the researchers designed a study examining the results of a mental performance test conducted on older Asian adults. The study involved curry, which contains turmeric. The adults tested were aged between 60 and 93. Those who sometimes ate curry performed better in the tests than individuals who rarely or never ate curry. The same was true of those who ate curry often or very often.
One spice that is often at the top of lists of healthy spices is cinnamon. It comes from the inner bark of several trees and is used in both sweet and savoury cooking. Cinnamon has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Now, it is gaining recognition in the medical field: German researchers found that cinnamon can reduce blood sugar levels by up to 10%. They were unsure why this was the case, but suggested that substances in cinnamon might activate enzymes that stimulate insulin receptors. Further research shows that the spice can also help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are blood fats that can lead to diabetes.
According to registered dietitian Wendy Bazilian, spices are being taken more seriously because the added flavour they provide encourages people to reduce the salt, fat and sugar in their cooking. She has written a book called The Super Foods Rx Diet, in which she explains how people can lose weight by basing their diet on what she calls ‘super nutrients’. She likes oregano, for example, because she considers it to be like a mini salad. She says, ‘One teaspoon has as much antioxidant power as three cups of chopped broccoli.’ However, she adds, don’t eliminate the broccoli. Instead, eat both. Herbs and spices are not just used to reduce the unwanted effects of chemicals. They also make food taste better. Some spices also destroy bacteria. Spices have long been used to ensure food is safe to eat.
