There are so many great condiments and herbs that not only make your food taste amazing but also have amazing health benefits! This is why food doesn’t have to be boring! Use the condiments and herbs listed below and you are ensuring good health and good taste! Bon appetite!
1. Ketchup!
Yes I said it! Ketchup, although it can be high in sodium and has added sugar, contains Lycopene — a powerful antioxidant in — may slow the process that leads to atherosclerosis. All ketchup contains some lycopene, but organic versions contain up to 60 percent more per gram than regular brands. Plus they tend to be lower in sodium and have no added sugars. The researchers also found that organic ketchup had the highest levels of vitamins A, C, and E.
2. Buckwheat Honey
It actually helps fight aging. How great is that!? 2 to 4 tablespoons of dark honey like buckwheat or blueberry contains the most antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline. Honey has a strong flavor and can be high in calories if you eat too much.
Adding small amounts to your tea, oatmeal, yogurt, homemade salad dressings etc., instead of refined sugar, is a great way to use this must have condiment!
3. Rosemary
Eliminates foodborne carcinogens. Rosemary helps minimize or eliminates carcinogens formed when cooking some foods. Scientists at Kansas State University, found that seasoning beef with rosemary before grilling can reduce cancer-causing substances called heterocyclic amines by 30 percent to 100 percent. Acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic compound, forms in carb-rich foods when heated above 250°F. Incorporating 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary for each pound of flour, acrylamide can be reduced by more than 50 percent. This was discovered by Leif Skibsted, PhD, a professor of food chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. He believes that the antioxidants in rosemary “scavenge” the harmful compounds. So interesting! And rosemary tastes amazing on lean meats and in breads etc.
4. Horseradish
Detoxes your body with a daily dose of only a 1/4 teaspoon. Glucosinolates, compounds in the roots and leaves of the horseradish plant, can increase your liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogens and may suppress the growth of existing tumors, says a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Horseradish is one of nature’s best sources of glucosinolates — it has up to 10 times more than broccoli, the next-best source. Serving tip: Mix into ketchup for a cocktail sauce or mustard for a sandwich spread, or add to yogurt to serve with lamb or fish. Make a dip: Combine 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup chopped dill, 3 tablespoons bottled horseradish, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Olive Oil
Boosts long-term memory. A few tablespoons of Olive oil is a top source of oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that is converted during digestion to oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a hormone that helps keep brain cells healthy. Researchers say that OEA signals the part of the brain responsible for turning short-term memories into long-term ones.
6. Cinnamon
Stabilizes blood-sugar level. Researchers say people who added cinnamon — one- half to a heaping teaspoon — to a sweet dish experienced a slower rise in blood sugar than those who didn’t consume any. The spice enhances insulin sensitivity, so it allows you to use more of the glucose in your blood, keeping blood sugar levels stable. Adding cinnamon to a carb-heavy or starchy dish may also help stabilize blood sugar after you eat. Keeping levels stable minimizes sugar highs and lows, and for those with diabetes, it could mean needing less insulin. By no means am I condoning eating a lot of carbs! But on a cheat meal, it may be a great way to stabilize blood sugar levels! Work into starchy meals, like rice or grain dishes, by grinding together with cumin, coriander, and caraway and adding chopped nuts and dried fruit for a Mediterranean flavor.
7. Hot Sauce
I love my Franks Red Hot sauce “Put that ish on everything!” and even better it curbs your appetite! A daily dose of only a few dashes is good enough! Eating just one meal that contains capsaicin — the compound that gives hot sauce and chile peppers their heat — not only reduces levels of hunger but also raises GLP-1, an appetite-suppressing hormone.
8. Mustard
Mustard seeds are high in antioxidants and are nutrient dense with selenium, which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. One teaspoon of white mustard seed, which is the kind used for the yellow condiment, is packed with 87.1mg of omega-3 fatty acids, 84.2mg of omega-6 fatty acids, 22.2mg of potassium, 27.3mg of phosphorus, 9.7mg of magnesium and 16.9 mg of calcium.
These high amounts of body beneficial substances in the seeds when consumed encourage the body to speed up metabolism, lower blood pressure and prevent atherosclerosis.
9. Apple Cider Vinegar
With so many great benefits how could you not have this in your cupboard! Rich in potassium, a mineral that is often times lacking in adult diets. This mineral is key for growth, building muscles, transmission of nerve impulses, heart activity etc. It also helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses. Rich in acetic acid. This acid is said to slow the digestion of starch which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals. This is why ACV is often used by people with diabetes. Rich in ash which gives ACV its alkaline property. This aids your body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state. (It is particularly important if you drink a lot of coffee or wine.)
It can help regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol. Rich in malic acid which gives it anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. May help improve bowel irregularity and helps to remove toxins from the body at a faster rate. Great for detoxing! It can help clear up skin conditions and blemishes. Helps with weight loss by breaking down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. A few lab studies have found that ACV may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth.
10. Black Pepper
Guards against cancer. Piperine, a compound in black pepper, may help interrupt the self-renewing process of cancer-initiating stem cells, according to new research from the University of Michigan. As we know, cancer is an ongoing concern for even healthy individuals!
So I don’t think we can take in enough foods etc that may help reduce our risks of getting it! Piperine also aids in digestion. So adding ground black pepper to your meals can be much more than just flavor!
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