organic spices

There are hundreds of studies on the effective health compounds found in spices. And the variety that’s available to us, makes for no excuses to spice up your life in the kitchen.

  1. Turmeric. As I mentioned in a prior post, I’m a big fan of turmeric. There are so many good things derived from this spice, that it’s worth mentioning again. Curcumin, one of the active anti-cancer compounds in turmeric has been shown to inhibit the growth of bone, breast, brain, colon, liver, pancreatic, stomach, bladder, kidney, prostate and ovarian cancer (and more!).

[Turmeric] has the ability to block every stage of cancer development – from cell mutation to metastasis. And it doesn’t harm your healthy cells.

For years, the pharmaceutical industry has been eyeing up curcumin, in hopes of making it a prescription drug. But guess what? You can’t patent nature, so it doesn’t work. Most people touched by cancer, have learned about how powerful curcumin is, yet most doctors are still not recommending it.

  1. Curry Powder. A common spice in Indian and Asian cuisine, and typically a mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin and other spices like fenugreek, black pepper and red pepper. It has a near equitable impact on your health in the best way possible. It’s great on salads and cooked vegetables.

Just be sure to pair both Turmeric and Curry Powder with black pepper to enhance the absorption by your body, as much as 2000%.

3. Oregano. One teaspoon of oregano has the same antioxidant level as two cups of red grapes. And it contains the flavonoid quercetin, which is an anti-cancer compound that’s also found in apples and onions. Oregano also provides a kick of vitamin K and iron and taste good on just about any vegetable and meat dish.

4. Garlic. The benefits are endless. It’s another anti-cancer superfood and when combined with turmeric, they are a force to be reckoned with. The World Health Organization recommends adults eat a clove of garlic every day. You should consider more, especially if you’re sick (fighting a cold, or fighting cancer). It’s easier to consume when it’s been crushed through a garlic press and combines well into any salad or cooked dish. You can also add it to meat marinades and any smoothies or juices.

5. Rosemary. It has several anticancer properties, including promoting hormone balance. Researchers at Rutgers University, found that rosemary has the ability to inactivate estrogen hormones by stimulating liver enzymes that switch off aggressive estrogen types. It’s unique blend of antioxidants – carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmarinic acid – protect against the cancer-causing hererocyclic amines (HCAs) that form on meat when cooked at high temperatures.

There’s many a debate about the health risks associated with high-heat cooking of meats (aka your BBQ), but we’ve digressed. The upside is that rosemary extract added to hamburgers significantly decreased or even eliminated levels of HCAs. And you can grow this at home all year long!

Just remember, in order to avoid contamination from lead and other pollutants, buy organic spices!

Also - YES, spices expire and go bad, just like fresh fruits & vegetables. So check your expiration dates and do yourself a favor and go explore the organic spice aisle the next time you're in the grocery store!

 

**information directly sourced from chrisbeatcancer.com, page 74-75

*rosemary information directly sourced from The Metabolic Approach to Cancer, by Natasha Winters

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