The Spice Trade for Health

The Spice Trade for Health

By Sharon Palmer, R.D.
Contributing Editor

Culinary herbs and spices have been used to treat all manner of maladies for centuries. Today, scientific evidence is pouring in that suggests our ancestors were right—a pinch of spice does a lot more than flavor our food. An array of health benefits have been associated with herbs and spices, from powerful antioxidant potential to antimicrobial effects. And with the country’s growing affection for both ethnic flavors and healthful products, foods spiked with a variety of herbs and spices might become as natural as pizza flavored with oregano. A growing body of research is exploring the possible therapeutic uses for many such seasonings, including garlic, black cumin, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, allspice, bay leaves, mustard, rosemary, saffron and turmeric.

In general, herbs and spices associated with improved health act by blocking potential carcinogens, boosting immune function, and lowering LDL cholesterol. In a recent study in which 26 common spice extracts were investigated, researchers discovered that the phenolic compounds in spices contribute significantly to their antioxidant capacity.

Scientists are hot on the trail of specific ethnic spices from a number of countries, from Cameroon to Hungary. But the big destination for spice studies these days seems to be India. An impressive body of data suggests that Indian food ingredients, including turmeric, cloves, ginger, aniseed, mustard, saffron, cardamom and garlic, can help prevent different types of cancers because of their antioxidative, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties.

Another study looking at five common Indian spices (caraway, coriander, cumin, dill and fennel) pointed out that their daily use provides strong antioxidant protection. In addition, Indian spice mixes containing ginger, onion and garlic showed synergistic antioxidant activity.

One of the spices in the spotlight is turmeric, which is found in curry powder. This yellow spice, once used to treat arthritis and dysentery in Eastern cultures, has garnered more studies than any other spice. Curcumin found in turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemo-preventive activities and has been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers. This spice might protect cells, tissues and arteries against the damaging effects of free radicals in the bloodstream. Mounting evidence is relating this type of cellular damage in the brain to Alzheimer’s disease.

Another health-promoting spice stirring up headlines is one of America’s favorites—cinnamon. The seasoning as nurturing as grandma’s apple pie has been associated with boosting insulin activity. In a recent study, type 2 diabetics given cinnamon in doses of 1, 3 or 6 grams for 40 days experienced an 18% to 29% drop in blood glucose compared to others in the study, as well as an improvement in blood-cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cinnamon’s active ingredients are polyphenol polymers, which might act like insulin. Researchers believe that cinnamon effectively lowered glucose by boosting the activity of insulin-receptor kinase and other related enzymes. They noted that cloves, bay leaves and other spices show enzymatic effects similar to those of cinnamon.

The heat of peppers holds a host of health benefits. Cayenne pepper (ground red pepper) is a concentrated source of capsaicin, the powerful phytochemical that gives chiles their heat. Capsanthin and related carotenoids isolated from red paprika show potent anti-tumor promoting activity. Red pepper is also recognized for its lipid- and cholesterol- lowering effects.

Garlic has been praised for its health benefits for decades, so it should come as no surprise to find that it contains many substances now being studied for their anticancer effects, including allicin, allixin, allyl sulfides, quercetin and organosulfur compounds. Two large studies in China and Italy linked garlic consumption to lower mortality from stomach cancer, and research has shown that the garlic component, diallyl disulfide, displays potent preventive effects against cancers of the skin, colon and lung.

Nutrition experts are pushing fresh, green herbs into the same category as fruits and vegetables due to their generous levels of phytochemicals and antioxidants. Some herbs have even greater antioxidant activity than many fruits and vegetables. According to the Nov. 2001 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, oregano had the highest antioxidant activity among many herbs tested, ranking 42 times higher than apples. Most herbs, especially dill, peppermint, rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme, have significant amounts of flavonoids, which can act as antioxidants.

Culinary herbs and spices from garlic to oregano are commonly found in dietary supplements, demonstrating the public’s attention to the health benefits of these food ingredients. Perhaps they are well situated as the next wave of functional ingredients. Currently, FDA hasn’t granted any approved health claims or qualified health claims for spices and culinary herbs in food labeling. However, a company in Japan already markets a beverage containing turmeric for its health benefits.

Typically, fresh herbs and spices contain higher levels of antioxidants than dried or processed products. Fresh garlic is one and a half times more powerful than dry garlic powder as alliin and allicin levels begin to drop as garlic undergoes drying and processing. Health experts caution that consumers should not assume that supplementing their diets with spices and herbs is more beneficial than a total-health approach focused on lean protein sources, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. But, the evidence certainly seems to indicate that liberally adding spices to food products sure can’t hurt.

To top it off, sprinkling flavorful herbs and spices into foods for potential health gains is possible without increasing those pesky calories, grams of fat and refined carbs—a match made in heaven.