Healthy oils, herbs and spices

This page contains information on healthy spices, herbs, and oils. These are some of my favorites because they will add a little extra bonus to your meals and your bodies.

Black Pepper

Good: A surprisingly healthy spice and certainly very flavorable. It stimulates the taste buds, which increase your stomach acid, and inturn help with digestion. It is also considered a carminative, which helps relieve gas from the intestine, promoting intestinal health.

Not so good: It contains oxalates. This is a natural substance that when it becomes prevelent in the blood stream can crystallize and cause health problems. It is recommend that people with kidney or gallbladder issues may want to avoid black pepper.

Preparation Ideas: It can season almost any savory food.

Cumin

Good: This is predominantly found in cuisines from India and the Middle East. Cumin is a good source of iron. It helps with digestion, and is considered a medicinal herb, in some parts of the world, for its ability to fight allergies and helping to reduce cancer.

Not so good: Hard to find anything.

Preparation Ideas: It is a good seasoning on vegetables and beans. They are commonly toasted to bring out their flavor.

Cinnamon

Good: It really does a lot to help moderate blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). It is effective in helping with pain and stiffness in muscles and joints. It has powerful antioxidants that help with blood flow.

Not so good: Hard to find.

Preparation Ideas: I make a cinnamon and honey concoction many mornings. I get a cup of hot water and add two spoonfuls of raw, unfiltered honey and a spoonful of cinnamon microwave it and drink it.

Flaxseed Oil

Good: They have a significant amount of omega 3 fatty acids, along with manganese and fiber. They help protect against heart diseases, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, bone health, diabetes, and arthritis. They are anti-inflammatory as well.
Not so good: It can initially cause some bloating and it’s recommended for pregnant women to consult a healthcare provider before consuming flaxseeds.

Preparation Ideas: It’s often made and consumed in flaxseed oil. It’s good to grind them up and add them to your oatmeal or cereal.

Garlic

Good: It is effective in helping prevent blood clots and lowering cholesterol. It also has anti-cancer components anti-inflammatory benefits and cardiovascular benefits. It’s a good source of manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.
Not so good: Eating it completely raw can be a little irritating to the stomach and certainly it can give you bad breath.

Preparation Ideas: It’s important to note that chopping or crushing garlic gives you the most health benefits. The finer the chop the better too. It’s best to cook it lightly and spread it over your food.

Ginger

Good: This is fantastic for digestion and for soothing an upset stomach. If you get motion sickness ginger is a great alternative to Dramamine. Pregnant women use ginger to relieve morning sickness and prevent vomiting. Ginger has antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory and can reduce certain cancers.

Not so good:Hard to find.

Preparation Ideas: It’s commonly prepared with sushi or you could mince it and add it to vegetables or salad dressings.

Honey

Good: It can be difficult to find healthy sweeteners. Raw and unfiltered honey is one. Pasteurization is a heating process and when it occurs in most foods it kills a lot of nutrient. Honey is no different here. It contains many antioxidants helping it be anti-bacterial and anti-viral.

Not so good: It can harm your blood sugar levels. Also, check the quality of your honey.

Preparation Ideas: It is a great sweetener that can be added to many dishes or drinks, like coffee, tea. I prepare a honey and cinnamon mixture in water and microwave the water for 2-3 minutes.

Olives

Good: For the longest time I didn’t like the taste of olives. It was only until recently I started enjoying them and that’s when I found the nutritional benefits they bring. For example, olives have antioxidants that help immune and cardiovascular systems and help prevent heart diseases and anti-inflammatory problems. They are a good source of iron, fiber, and vitamin E.

Not so good: The store bought canned olives can be high in sodium.

Preparation Ideas: They are great as a snack or on a salad. Also can be made into a spread for sandwiches.

Olive Oil (extra virgin)

Good: Olive oil is considered one of the healthiest foods to eat. It is rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fat, which studies show are great for heart health, reduction in cancers, lowering blood pressure, and improving cholesterol ratio (less LDL and more HDL).

Not so good: Many people don’t go for extra virgin, and therefore don’t get the same health benefits. Extra virgin is more expensive in the supermarkets.

Preparation Ideas: It great for dressing a salad, stir frying veggies or meat. I’ve used it instead of butter for many instances, such as spreading on bread and toast.

Oregano

Good: This is one of the healthiest herbs you can eat. It is a good source of vitamin K, manganese, iron, and quite a few other nutrients. It is an anti-bacterial helping treat people with parasites. Oregan has signifcant antioxidants helping with digestion and inflammation.

Not so good: Hard to find.

Preparation Ideas:It’s a tasty herb in most italian dishes, particularly pasta sauce.

Parsley

Good: One of the most common herbs you will see. It has a huge amount of vitamin K, as well as, vitamins A & C. It’s a good cancer fighter and can reduce blood sugar levels.

Not so good:Parsley contains oxalates. This is a natural substance that when it becomes prevelent in the blood stream can crystallize and cause health problems. It is recommend that people with kidney or gallbladder issues may want to avoid parsley.

Preparation Ideas: It’s often used as a garnish. A side note about this, save the garnish because it can help freshen you breath after a meal. It’s also a good addition to many sauces.

Vinegar

Good: Vinegar is basically twiced fermented wine. To get truly healthy vinegar look for unpasteurized and organic versions. Avoid white, distilled vinegars. The most common is apple cider vinegar. Studies have shown that vinegar may help control blood sugar levels, which help in the prevention of diabetes.

Not so good: The acidity can compound people with stomach problems.

Preparation Ideas: Commonly used as an acidic mixture in salad dressings.