{"id":4546,"date":"2022-01-29T05:44:32","date_gmt":"2022-01-29T05:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/5-flavorful-spice-blends-to-add-a-health-boost-to-your-meals\/"},"modified":"2022-01-29T05:44:32","modified_gmt":"2022-01-29T05:44:32","slug":"5-flavorful-spice-blends-to-add-a-health-boost-to-your-meals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/5-flavorful-spice-blends-to-add-a-health-boost-to-your-meals\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Flavorful Spice Blends to Add a Health Boost to Your Meals"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Even your favorite dishes can feel tired when you\u2019ve hit repeat on them a few too many times. But the solution when caught in a bland culinary rut can be simple: Shake things up with spices from around the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
In medieval times, well before refrigeration was a thing, spices helped preserve meat and mask the taste of foods if they had surpassed their best before date. And of course, they were as treasured then as they are now for the gutsy flavors and rich aromas they bring to mealtime. Spices have even been used in the distant past as a form of currency, and wars have been fought in an effort to dominate the spice trade.<\/span><\/p>\n
All this to say that without question, spices are transformative.<\/span> The same dish prepared with different spices will result in completely different food experiences. Even better, they\u2019re loaded with compounds that can help keep you healthy and promote longevity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
This study in the<\/span> American Journal of Clinical Nutrition <\/span><\/i>which assigned 71 adults to follow one of three 2,100 calorie diets with varying amounts of spices (low-, medium-, and high-dose) for 4 weeks with a 2-week washout period between diet trials discovered that medium-dose (3.3 grams daily) and high-dose (6.6 grams) diets resulted in lower markers of inflammation and improved immune system functioning than did the low-spice (0.5 grams) diet. For some perspective, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon is roughly 2 grams. <\/span><\/p>\n
Here\u2019s more proof spice that is nice: This investigation by researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that going big on spices and herbs can improve blood pressure numbers, especially when added to the less-than-optimal standard American diet. Using spices may also make lower sugar versions of food more enjoyable, allowing you to cut back on the sweet stuff when making things like desserts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
So why aren\u2019t you using more of them from morning to night? One easy way to sneak more spices into your diet is to seek out time-honored spice blends from different cultures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
If there\u2019s one commonality among international cuisines, it\u2019s the heavy reliance on spices to infuse dishes with signature flavors. And, no, we aren\u2019t talking about pumpkin pie spice.\u00a0Several cultures have spent centuries experimenting with mixtures of spices and herbs to help their cuisines stand out. And now that most of the hard work is done, we can use these spice blends to instantly add excitement and mystery to everyday cooking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Here are some health-giving, palate-awakening spice blends to enhance the flavor of your dishes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
5 Spice Blends to Kick Up Your Cooking<\/h2>\n
Note: <\/strong>Some spice blends can be tricky to find outside of ethnic markets. If you can\u2019t find any of the ones outlined here, head online to trusted spice traders including Penzeys and Curio Spice Co., the latter of which is a women-owned B-corp company that sources from small, sustainable farms around the world and pays growers above market prices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n