Hey everyone!
Yup, it’s me again, back with another health post! No, I didn’t forget about the health blog and no, I wasn’t finished with them. But I have been pretty busy lately. Have you seen the new serial story on the website “Home Sweet Home?” I was busy with that as well. Some of you might have thought that the story was over after chapter 9, but there is still more to go! So stay tuned.

Today we are going to talk about something that you may not know much about. I actually didn’t know much about them either, until I did some research! (;

You may not like spices very much, they just may be a bit too… spicy for you. Not all spices are spicy though, some spices are even sort of sweet! (Cinnamon, anyone?) There are many great spices over there that can really enhance your dish.

Now I’m going to write a little about some of the well-known spices that you probably have sitting in your pantry.

1. Cinnamon- The good thing about cinnamon is that cinnamon is yum! (Well at least I think so…) Here are some health benefits of eating cinnamon:
– It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
– Contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects. Antioxidants stops damage to cells in your body (damage to cells can cause cancer lo aleinu.) Antioxidants are found in many foods including strawberries, blueberries, kale, tea, coffee and… dark chocolate! (Go and check my chocolate post…)
– Reduces blood pressure
– Lowers blood sugar and risk of type 2 diabetes, and more.

Here are some ways to use cinnamon:
– An added kick to hot cocoa
– In cakes, cookies, muffins and basically any baked goods that have cinnamon in them!
– In oatmeal for breakfast
– You can add cinnamon into any breakfast cereal or smoothie.

2. Cumin. Cumin is a savory spice which is brown/yellow in color.
Here are some health benefits of eating cumin:
– Yup, yup, this one too contains antioxidants
– Helps control blood sugar
– Fights bacteria and parasites
– May help lower cholesterol
– Aids in weight loss, and more.

Here are some ways to use cumin:
Cumin is a very savory spice that goes well on chicken, meat, rice, roasted vegetables and more. You can be creative! It is very flavorsome and really enhances a dish.

3. Paprika. This bright red spice can either be sweet or hot, and really colors you food in an appealing red! Isn’t it just amazing that Hashem created such an enormous variety of foods, textures and colors?

Health benefits:
Contains capsaicin, vitamin A, and surprise surprise- antioxidants! These may help prevent inflammation and improve your cholesterol, eye health, and blood sugar levels, among other benefits.

4. Turmeric- turmeric is known for its bright yellow color and numerous health benefits such as the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. It has- what else? – antioxidants and may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis. Wow! You can add turmeric to rice to make yellow rice and put it in lots of other dishes as well. Pairs nicely with pepper and ginger.

5. Ginger- ginger is a pale orange and has a very sharp flavor. Some health benefits:
Ginger contains something called “gingerol”, which has powerful medicinal properties, can treat many forms of nausea, may help with weight loss, can lower blood sugar and help improve heart disease. Ginger is great in tea, cakes, cookies, and of course ginger snaps and ginger ale. (haven’t heard of those? Ask a parent…)

6. Curry powder- curry is a blend of a few different spices, usually including cumin, turmeric, ginger, and some chili.

Of course, there as many, many other spices put there, but those were a few of the popular ones. Some other spices include cardamom, nutmeg, za’atar (a popular Israeli spice), and of course, salt and pepper. Not to mention the numerous herbs out there… but that will be an article for another time.

Next time you take a bite of a delicious, flavorful dish, take a moment to thank Hashem for all of the wonderful spices that really spice up a meal.

Enjoy!
Maital

P.s. Thank you Tzipporah for the wonderful idea!
P.p.s- If you have any other ideas of posts I can use for this blog, please write it in the chat below!