There are FOUR other spices that we’d like to discuss with you today. These four are also super spices that have long been recognized for their ability to fight disease.

Now, don’t get us wrong…we aren’t saying that these spices can be used to cure disease all on their own…what we are saying is that, when used as a supplement, or in combination with advice and therapy from your healthcare practitioner, these spices are widely known to support your health.

So, first up for the 4 spices is CINNAMON

this deliciously fragrant spice is grown mainly in India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, China, and Australia. Its bark and/or leaves can be ground or steeped and added to a variety of food and drinks.

Some of its known benefits include:

• Anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, and anti-oxidant properties
• Has been known to lower triglycerides (bad cholesterol) and sugar in the blood
• Supports heart health, fights cancer, and boosts the immune system

A ½ tsp. daily (added to your tea, other beverage, or sprinkled on food) is recommended to help with the symptoms of diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.

BONUS tip: look for Ceylon cinnamon as it is higher in nutritional value.

Next on the list is CLOVE

Cloves have a very strong and discernable scent and flavour. They originated in Indonesia, but are grown today in a variety of places such as: Jamaica, Sumatra, India, Brazil, parts of Africa, and the West Indies.

The list of benefits from consuming cloves is lengthy and includes:

• Anti-fungal, antiseptic
• anti-inflammatory
• anti-oxidant
• antiviral
• aphrodisiac
• analgesic.

And, in addition…cloves have been recognized to help with the symptoms associated with indigestion, constipation, and stabilizing blood sugar.

In Ayurvedic medicine, cloves have historically been used to treat halitosis (chronic bad breath).

Because of its antioxidant properties, it is a known fighter of cancer cells, and is full of lots and lots of important vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin C, A, B6 and B12, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and sodium.

A couple of the ways that we like to incorporate cloves into our diet here at Ki’s Kitchen are:

1. Pierce an onion with whole cloves. Add the “studded” onion to soups, stews, and healing broths as they cook.
2. Add ground cloves to your favourite baked dish – such as heart healthy muffins, or overnight oats.

Third up on the list we have GINGER

Ginger has long been used to treat a number of health issues, in particular, digestive problems such as nausea, motion sickness, and morning sickness in pregnant women.

Ginger is also believed to be effective in reducing a fever, and is an excellent detoxifier.

In addition, ginger is an alkanizer, which means it helps make the body more alkaline (cancer cells can only survive in an acidic environment).

Last but not least, ginger greatly enhances the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients, so you will want to have this fragrant and delicious root spice (freshly grated is best) on hand to add to a variety of recipes.

Some of our favourite ways to incorporate ginger into our dishes are:

1. Added to soups, stews, and stir-frys.
2. Steeped in hot water with turmeric, a squeeze of lemon, and a dash of honey for a warming, healing tonic.
3. Pairs well with roasted root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips.

Due to its many healing properties, this pungent spice has been used for a wide variety of remedies for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years.

Here are some widely recognized remedies:

For a sore throat: Simmer 1 Tbsp. of grated ginger in a cup of water for 10 min. Strain ginger and add a tsp. of honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Gargle every 30 min. until your sore throat starts to subside.

For aching muscles: Grate 4 Tbsp. of ginger and place it in a cotton bag. Add it to running bathwater. Take a long soak. The oils released from the ginger will increase circulation to the injured area.

Finally, we look at CARDAMOM

This is a spice that originated in India, but is now cultivated in many warm climates around the globe. It is also known as the “queen of spices” and is ranked third (after saffron and vanilla) in value – and therefore in its cost.

This spice is found as a small pod with black seeds inside. Both the pod and the seeds give a pleasant flavour and aroma.

According to Ayurveda, cardamom is useful in treating the following conditions: tooth and gum infections, throat problems, lung disease and acute tuberculosis, inflammation of the eyelid, kidney and gallstone problems, and gastro intestinal upset (including nausea and vomiting). That’s a lot of conditions!

No wonder it is called the queen of spices.

In other health disciplines, cardamom is believed to greatly reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer (as much as 48%). It is also thought to reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.

As with the other spices we’ve mentioned here, cardamom is full of important vitamins and minerals – calcium, copper, zinc, manganese, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins A and C, and potassium.

With all of these nutritious elements and health benefits, you can see why we love to use cardamom in our cooking at Ki’s Kitchen. As well, it has the most amazing fragrance and taste.

Here are some of our favourite uses for cardamom:

1. Pair it with tomatoes and chickpeas for a delicious side dish.
2. Add a few pods to basmati rice while it is cooking.
3. Add a pod (and a cinnamon stick) to a cup of dairy-free milk. Gently warm and steep for several minutes to release the flavours.

We hope you’ve enjoyed and learned something from this exploration of some of our favourite super spices.

If you have any questions on the information you’ve found here, please comment below or reach out to us. We would love to help you add some spice to your life!

Lastly, thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have found some valuable information, if so, I’d love to hear about it!

Please feel free to share this post with anyone who might benefit, and comments are always welcome!

I look forward to connecting with you next time!

And be sure to check out why you should order your family’s next meal courtesy of Ki’s Kitchen  

From our kitchen to yours,

Love + Peace

Kiran 

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Catherine

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