SPICES
Anise
Anise, one of the oldest spices, is a member of the Umbelliferae family along with fennel, celery and dill, cumin, caraway and many others. It is a brown seed with the taste or licorice. It is commonly used in baking, but can also be a good spice to add to meat and poultry dishes.
Recommended for:
Contains Cancer-fighting compounds
Help to relieve gas and also the common cough
Cardamon
Cardamom is a small green fruit with tiny brown seeds inside the pods. It is a spice that is often found in curry with a taste like ginger and pine.
Health Benefits:
Helps to relieve indigestion
Cayenne - Red Pepper, Paprika
Cayenne or Red Pepper is a berry that is very spicy. Paprika, a variety of Cayenne, has a milder, sweeter taste. These spices are used in soups and sauces.
Health Benefits:
Aids in digestion
Helps to relieve pain
Increases metabolism and helps to burn fat
Cinnamon
Cinnamon, one of the oldest spices comes from the bark of evergreen trees native to Sri Lanka. It is available ground or as a stick. It is used in baking as well as an addition to hot beverages. The healing properties of cinnamon come from the following essential oils within the bark: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamyl alcohol. Also, components in cinnamon help the body use insulin more efficiently so that more glucose can enter cells.
Health Benefits:
Helps to stabilize blood glucose
Aids in digestion
May help to lower cholesterol
Boosts brain activity
Helps stop the growth of bacteria
Cloves
Cloves are the dried buds of a tropical clove tree. They have a strong and sweet taste that is often added in marinades, sauces, pastries and braised meats. They are available whole or ground.
Health Benefits:
Aids in the treatment of joint inflammation
Used in dentistry for root canal therapy, fillings and gum pain
Coriander
Coriander, a member of the Umbelliferae family, is considered to be a herb and spice because both the leaves (Cilantro) and seeds are used as a seasoning. The Cilantro leaves have a taste similar to flat leaf parsley and the seeds offer an aromatic taste if citrus peel and sage. The leaves are available fresh, while the seeds are typically available as whole or ground.
Health Benefits:
Aids in digestion (Coriander seeds)
Helps to lower cholesterol
Cumin
Cumin, typically used in Mexican, Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, is yellowish-brown in color with a peppery, citrus taste. It is available as whole or ground and is often found in chili, curry dishes, soups, sauces, fish, rice and meats.
Health Benefits:
Aids in proper digestion
Contains anti-cancer properties
Enhances liver detoxification enzymes
Dill
Dill is a member of the Umbelliferae family along with carrots, celery, parsley and much more. It is an herb and spice that looks like a fern, with a sweet taste. As an herb, the leaves are available fresh or dried and as a spice, the seeds are available whole. The herb is added to salads, soups, sauces and vegetable dishes and the seed is used for marinades, pickling and soups.
Health Benefits:
Helps to relieve flatulence
Contains anticancer and antimicrobial properties
Helps to rid the liver of toxic chemicals
Horseradish
Horseradish is a member of the Cabbage family along with mustard, radish, kale and Brussels sprouts. It is a long root with thin, light brown skin, white flesh and green leaves. The horseradish root is grated and mixed with distilled vinegar to maintain it’s hot, peppery taste.
Health Benefits:
Helps to protect against food borne illnesses
Improves digestion
Promotes a healthy gallbladder
Mint
The mint family has twenty-five varieties within its family, including the most widely known, peppermint and spearmint. The tremendous health benefits come from the oil from the leaves and steams of the plant. Both mint varieties have green leaves and the cool taste of menthol, with a hint of pepper. It is available fresh or dried and is commonly found as tea or as an added spice to culinary dishes.
Health Benefits:
Relieves congestion and nasal symptoms of hay fever
Promotes healthy digestion
Helps to soothe and relax
Mustard Seeds
Mustard Seeds are the seeds of Mustard Greens, a vegetable related to broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. The seeds come in white, brown and yellow. Mustard seeds can come ground or whole to be added to sauces or salsa or it can be bought as prepared Mustard. The white seeds make American yellow mustard, while the brown mustard seeds make Dijon mustard.
Health Benefits:
Contains anti-cancer properties
Helps to reduce the severity of asthma
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a seed of a tropical evergreen tree native to Indonesia. It has a taste similar to cinnamon, but nutmeg also has a hint of pepper. It can be found whole or ground and is traditionally used in holiday cooking and baking recipes.
Health Benefits:
Can help to relax and induce sleepiness
Promotes healthy digestion
Aids in improving concentration
Oregano (Majoram)
Oregano and Marjoram are very closely related in their characteristics and taste. They both have small green leaves and many health benefits, however, Marjoram has a milder taste. They both can be found as a dried leaves and are traditionally added to meats, soups, vegetables, salads and sauces.
Health Benefits:
Helps to stop bacteria growth
High in antioxidants, fights off free radicals
Parsley
Parsley, a member of the Umbelliferae Family, is a rich leafy green. It is rich in nutrients, Chlorophyll, Carotenes, Vitamin C, Folic Acid,Iron and Dietary Fiber. It is traditionally used as a garnish or added to stews, sauces, salads, vegetables and potatoes.
Health Benefits:
Contains Cancer fighting properties
Promotes energy
Pepper
Ground Pepper comes from the fruit of the pepper plant (peppercorn). Pepper can be found in black most commonly, but also in white or green. The traditional black pepper is pungent, white pepper tends to be milder because the black outer casing is removed and the green varieties are picked when the peppercorn is unripe.
Health Benefits:
Improves digestion
Contains antibacterial properties
Helps to breakdown fat
Rosemary
Rosemary is actually a member of the mint family, although it has a different appearance in that it is an evergreen shrub with leaves similar to pine needles. Rosemary can be found fresh or dried and is used in dishes with beef and stews and as well as soups, salads and breads.
Health Benefits:
Boosts the immune system
Improves digestion
Helps to increase concentration
Saffron
Saffron, a member of the lily family, is produced from a small purple crocus. It takes 5,000 flowers to produce one ounce of saffron, therefore, it is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It can be purchased as whole threads and adds a yellow color and distinctive flavor to any dish.
Health Benefits:
Contains anticancer properties
Promotes healthy immune system
Helps to fight off free radicals
Sage
Garden Sage, a member of the mint family, has grayish, silver, fuzzy leaves with an earthy taste. It can be found as fresh or dried and is usually added to stuffing, meat and fish.
Health Benefits:
Helps to lower blood sugar
Promotes healthy brain function
Tarragon
Tarragon is a sweet green, aromatic herb that can be found either ground (the French variety) or fresh (the Russian variety). The flavor is similar to mint and licorice. It is commonly used in chicken, fish and egg dishes.
Health Benefits:
Helps to control blood sugar levels
Aids in digestion
Fights off free radicals
Thyme
Thyme, a member of the mint family has tiny brownish-green leaves, with a minty taste. There are over sixty varieties of Thyme, however, the most common are the French, Lemon, Orange and Silver. It is used in soups, sauces, salads and meat dishes.
Health Benefits:
Improve brain function (thymol)
Helps to stop bacteria from growing
Turmeric
Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, has a taste similar to ginger and orange with a hint of pepper. It is found as a ground spice in curry, but can be used in many salad and rice dishes as well.
Health Benefits:
Neutralizes free radicals
Contains Cancer fighting properties
Lowers cholesterol
Source: https://www.swiig.com/swiig-life/food-for-life/whole-foods-the-basics/herbs-spices/spices