Your spice cabinet may hold a key to good health. A U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory study of 27 cooking herbs found
that most had greater disease-fighting antioxidant power per gram than many fruits and vegetables. And some spices have been
shown in human or animal studies to fight various diseases. Here’s a rundown of the most promising research.
Cinnamon for cholesterol. Consuming about one-half teaspoon of cinnamon a day for 40 days reduced blood levels of both glucose and triglycerides, a
potentially artery-clogging fat, by about 25 percent in adults with type 2 diabetes, a USDA clinical trial found. Cinnamon
also cut “bad” LDL cholesterol by nearly 20 percent. And the benefits persisted for up to three weeks after people stopped
taking it.
Hot pepper for cancer. Sold in ointment form for treating pain, capsaicin--better known as hot or cayenne pepper--is being tested in lab studies
for its potential to suppress certain cancer cells.
Sage for smarts. True to its name, sage may prevent cognitive decline by protecting cells and inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, a
brain chemical crucial for memory and thinking. A small trial published in 2003 found that sage-oil capsules improved memory
and attention in people with Alzheimer’s disease. A later study of healthy young adults found that the pills boosted cognition
and mood.
Turmeric for Alzheimer’s and more. Studies of this curry ingredient have focused on curcumin, the substance that gives turmeric its rich yellow color. It has
shown promise for several conditions:
• Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin may fight the accumulation of destructive proteins in the brain (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s)
and counter the inflammation that may worsen the condition. A clinical trial at the University of California at Los Angeles
is testing curcumin treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s.
• Cancer. Research shows that curcumin may stop cancer cells from proliferating and cause malignant tumors to self-destruct.
Scientists at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are conducting clinical trials of curcumin as a possible treatment
for pancreatic cancer and multiple myeloma.
• Cystic fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is funding a trial to assess whether curcumin can help compensate for the
genetic defect that causes mucus buildup in the lungs and digestive system of people with cystic fibrosis.
While those findings are exciting, most of the research cited has involved larger servings and higher concentrations of spice
than you would typically add to foods. Whether smaller amounts of cooking spices can affect human health isn’t yet known.
But the possibility adds weight to another reason to include spices generously in your diet: They flavor food without adding
lots of fat, salt, or sugar.
