People are fascinated by the smell, taste and health benefits of
spices from long time ago. Spices have a very turbulent history and, in some
way, they have shaped the world we live in now. There is an interesting story
about the effects and the cultural impact of spices you have in your kitchen.
Here are only a few of them.
Lavender
Lavender has a distinctive fragrant and it is often used in perfumes
and essential oils. Its name comes from the Latin word “lavare”, which means “to wash”. In the old
times, when bathing was not a common practice, people used to use lavender to
aromatize clothes and linen.
You can use it to add the distinctive floral taste to the wide variety
of meals. It might sound surprising, but it can improve the flavor of sweet and
savory dishes, chocolate cupcakes, beet salad, buttermilk fried chicken,
cheesecake, sorbet, roasted turkey and many, many more.
Oregano
The origin of this super-healthy plant is the Mediterranean cuisine.
Its name comes from the Greek language and means “delight of the mountains”. It
is commonly grown in gardens because it enhances the growth of the surrounding
plants.
It is most popular as the “pizza herb”, but it is also often used in the
Italian cuisine for preparation of pasta and tomato sauce. It is a powerful
antiseptic and it has a profound influence on the immune system. It contains a
high level of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and vitamins K and B-6. It has four times more antioxidants than
blueberries.
Turmeric
Almost 90 percent of the world’s production of turmeric takes place in
India. It is a deep orange-yellow powder from the family of ginger, famous for
its strong health benefits. It is even used as a natural antivenin for the
bites of King Cobra.
Turmeric contains various types of compounds that have tremendous
benefits for your health. The most important is curcumin, a strong antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory
pain-reliever. It is often used in the form of pills to fight many health
problems like the brain and heart diseases, cancer, depression, Alzheimer
disease, osteoarthritis, and many more.
Chili Pepper
Chili pepper had been an essential part of the North American cuisine
even before the European settlers came to the New World. There are many
varieties of the chili peppers, but they all have one thing in common – their
hotness comes from the compound called “capsaicin”.
While chili peppers may cause some serious burns on the flesh of
mammals, birds are completely immune to it. This is why they are responsible for excreting their
seeds. If you try a chili pepper that is too hot, take a glass of milk or any
liquid dairy product because it will
neutralize the burning sensation of capsaicin.
Pepper
Pepper has a truly fascinating history. In the past, it was a very
expensive spice, so only rich people were able to consume it. It was shipped
from India through the spice routes and the traders often fought among
themselves on the way to Europe. It was so valuable during the Middle Ages that
people measured their wealth according to the stash of pepper they possessed.
It was more valuable than gold, so it was often used as a form of
legal currency. Even today, the expression “pepper expensive” is still used in
many languages throughout Europe to label something as very expensive.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree and it is one of the
rare spices that can be consumed raw. It can be very useful in everyday life.
If you add a few drops of cinnamon oil to your lotion or sunscreen, it can
serve as a natural pesticide and destroy bugs. Also, if you mix cinnamon with
honey and apply it on your hair, it will lighten it up.
It is recommendable to include cinnamon in your regular diet because
it has many health benefits. It can protect you from heart disease, diabetes,
cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and bacterial infections. It is full of
antioxidants which reduce inflammatory processes in your body and lower the
risk of these diseases.
