6 Powerful Reasons to Cook with Spices and Herbs

Herbs and spices will not only improve the taste and appeal of your dishes—they may help boost your health, energize you, and make you less susceptible to certain medical conditions. Here is an overview of the reasons why you should cook with spices and herbs:

1. Boost your immunity – Many spices and herbs contain hefty amounts of minerals and vitamins that can boost your immune system’s function to help prevent viruses from making you sick. Some of them have anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities to help you fight illnesses. Cumin, cloves, basil, peppermint, sage, chives, oregano, tarragon, and marjoram are some examples of herbs and spices that are known for their ability to shield you from certain types of illnesses.
2. Improve digestion – Peppermint and ginger are notable for their ability to help digestion and soothe the stomach from certain issues like flatulence, indigestion, constipation, and nausea. Chives can keep your digestive system healthy with their anti-bacterial effect.

3. Fight cancer – Many different herbs and spices contain antioxidants and polyphenol. Both properties help eliminate free radicals and toxins that can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer. A study highlighted in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition described the benefits of adding rosemary and oregano to hamburger meat prior to cooking where the mixture may help prevent oxidative stress, which causes cancer. Certain spices and herbs, like cumin, rosemary, turmeric, oregano, curry, cinnamon, and cardamom are known to have cancer-fighting properties, too.

1. Improve cardiovascular health – Basil is rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, an antioxidant that prevents free radical damage of the cells lining the blood vessels when cholesterol oxidizes. Oxidized cholesterol can build up and cause atherosclerosis, which is one of the reasons for strokes and heart attacks. Parsley is rich in folic acid, which is essential for heart health.
2. Maintain a healthy weight – Chili peppers and cayenne pepper are known to help burn calories and boost metabolism, making them great to spice up your dishes when you want to maintain a healthy weight.
3. Improve mental health – Few spices and herbs were linked to the improvement of mental health. Sage boosts mental performance and mood in young people, and enhances attention and memory in older adults. Curry and saffron were found to be helpful in improving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

This article is written by Brandon, who is the sales manager at Hexa Food Sdn. Bhd. It is HALAL and HACCP Certified food manufacturing company that supply herbs, spices and seasoning products in Malaysia at affordable rates.