HERBS are amazing power houses of nutrition as well as imparting delicious flavours of heat, pungency, spice and adding a burst of freshness to a finished dish.
Herbs often have higher antioxidant activity than many fruits and vegetables and can increase the nutrition content of what you eat, even in very small amounts.
Increasingly, science is proving what many ancient cultures have known for centuries, that spices tend to have unique medicinal qualities.
Several American studies published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, found that the beneficial effects, in this case on inflammation, occurred not in taking large therapeutic doses, but in the small amounts normally added to flavour foods.
The spices which have the main anti-inflammatory potential seem to be cloves, cinnamon, oregano, marjoram, thyme, sage, rosemary, cayenne, ginger, garlic and of course turmeric.
We now know that the common issue linking a wide variety of health problems – from obesity and diabetes, arthritis and many other musculo-skeletal issues to heart disease and cancer, asthma, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even depression – is chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation isn't restricted to one area of your body, it burns slowly and steadily, releasing molecules of inflammation such as cytokines and C-reactive protein.
Over time, this causes a chemical chain reaction in the body that leads to serious problems. Arteries can become inflamed, setting the stage for disease.
The key to reducing chronic inflammation in your body starts with your diet, not smoking and being careful with your alcohol intake.
Being liberal in your use of high-quality herbs and spices is one simple way to boost the quality of your food. They're an inexpensive 'secret weapon' that we can all easily take advantage of.
On its own increasing your spice content at meals is not enough, especially if your diet is high in processed foods, but it is an excellent benefit to add in, its cheap, easy and its a great reason to start growing your own herbs on a windowsill.
Since it's the summer and we tend to eat more salads and grilled foods, choose a couple of herbs a week to explore, it can be as easy as adding fresh parsley or coriander leaves into a salad.
Rosemary and sage are flavourful herbs that contain similar antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, rosemary has an extra one appropriately named rosmarinic acid.
Both rosemary and sage act by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that removes superoxide, the potent free radical that's associated with chronic inflammation.
This activity is greatest in the cooked herb, so use rosemary to flavour roasted vegetables, meats, or other cooked dishes. Add it to marinades for your summer barbecue.
But even in its raw state rosemary includes apigenin, a compound that can inhibit the growth of pancreatic cancer cells, and diosmin, which prevents haemorrhoids. The many anti-inflammatory agents in rosemary and other herbs and vegetables work by inhibiting synthesis of prostaglandins, the proteins that trigger widespread inflammation.
Use rosemary stalks as your skewers to thread meat or vegetable kebabs, or finely mince and add to salad dressing, with oil and lime juice.
Cayenne pepper has an amazing array of benefits, from easing gout to period pain. Many use it as a detox drink as part of an overall colon cleanse.
Drink up to six large glasses for up to 10 days while lightly fasting. Add two tablespoons of maple syrup, two tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/10 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and one cup of pure water.
The water maintains proper hydration and helps to remove toxins from the body, maple syrup provides required calories and small amounts of nutrients, as well as supporting your metabolism.
The lemon juice provides enzymes and the phytochemical limonene, known for its antiseptic properties and cayenne pepper provides the phytochemical capsaicin, a potent anti-bacterial, which boosts metabolism and circulation.
