If you're a foodie at all, the news that spices have health benefits will come as no news to you. But if you're like me, you tend to forget exactly which spice is good for what, and when, and....how. And when you get a cold you're not sure whether to eat that garlic whole or brew it into tea...or infuse it with....anise...or what?Ode Magazine this month as just the article to help. You can link to it here: Be a clever one and print it out now, maybe slip it into your spice drawer for future reference.
Some highlights we all love to hear again and again:
- Turmeric is sometimes called the "Asian aspirin," used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries for its properties as an anti-inflamatory and anti-oxident.
- Ginger is good for morning sickness and will help lower blood pressure.
- Saffron can be used as an aphrodisiac.
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-20-2008 @ 10:28AM
Alex said...
If you're a clever one you'll tag the article in del.icio.us, surely?!
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3-20-2008 @ 9:07PM
Berkana said...
Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is actually a potent anti-cancer agent. It causes cancer cells to go into apoptosis (cell death) without harming the healthy cells in the body. This has been documented in medical studies, but because it cannot be patented, nor can it be monopolized for making huge sums of money, curcumin has been largely ignored by the medical establishment.
See this one woman's cancer blog on how she beat back her cancer using curcumin: http://margaret.healthblogs.org/life-with-myeloma/discovery-of-curcumin/
My friend's mom also successfully beat back her cancer using curcumin therapy, opting to go off of chemotherapy, which was slowly killing her along with the cancer.
To fight cancer though, concentrated curcumin needs to be taken in medicinal dosages, which can rage from 6-12 grams per day. Taking it with piperine, the active spice chemical from black pepper, boosts its absorption.
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3-20-2008 @ 9:10PM
Berkana said...
Saffron is actually poisonous in dosages larger than what is commonly used in cooking. You can cause internal bleeding or even death if you take enough of it, according to a manual on medicinal plants which I read a while ago.
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