We know spices help to make our dishes more delicious, but did you know certain spices can also help you bump up your immune system, heart health and help you fight pain and inflammation? While fresh spices are preferred, dried and crushed spices also have exceptional benefits. Let’s see what shakes out.
CAYENNE PEPPER: The ingredient that makes this pepper taste so hot is capsaicin. It not only gives your dishes a kick but acts as a natural stimulant that improves circulation. This is especially true for extremities that are often desensitized by the effects of diabetes. And there’s more: Cayanne pepper is a digestive aid which helps create hydrochloric acid necessary for the breakdown of food in the stomach.
CINNAMON: This tasty spice, so yummy on toast, hot chocolate or coffee, also containsanti-inflammatory compounds that help alleviate pain and soreness. What’s more, recent studies show cinnamon may help to improve the cells’ ability to take in glucose and lower blood sugar in diabetics. Plus, it lowers triglycerides and LDL or the so-called “bad” cholesterol. It’s best to take cinnamon in a liquid extract (you can find it in your local health food store) but the kind you sprinkle (without sugar) is also beneficial.
