Getting a little bored of using the same spices in your healthy cooking efforts? Board-certified health coach Anjali Shah says one lesser-known spice isn't just great for changing up your routine with a lively kick of flavor; it may also actually help you eat less.
Speaking with the web series #OWNSHOW, Shah shares one of her favorite cooking staples when it comes to spice: Aleppo chili.
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"Aleppo chili is actually a Turkish spice," Shah says. "It's used in a lot of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean cuisines."
The Aleppo pepper is one with a moderate heat level and, when crushed, the Aleppo chili bears a rich red color and an earthy, powerful flavor, which Shah says is a great substitute cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper.
"If you aren't the person who loves super-spicy food and you want a little more depth to your dishes, this would be a great thing to add," she says. "It definitely gives you a little kick."
In her own kitchen, Shah uses Aleppo chili often in Indian cooking, but says its versatility means it can be used throughout many different cuisines. "It's actually even good just as a one-to-one replacement for crushed red pepper, so I've used it in Italian food before," Shah says. "It's great with a protein. It actually tastes even better on scrambled eggs."
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Aside from being versatile and flavorful, Aleppo chili has an added health benefit, Shah points out.
"It is good for you. It actually makes you eat less because it satisfies you," she says. "You don't need to eat as much of the food. If it's a little bit spicier, it keeps you more satisfied."
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Before You Go
Cinnamon
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Cinnamon, which comes from the bark of a type of evergreen tree, is said to contain more antioxidants than any other spice. Among other feats, it’s been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and to reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. Now a new study suggests it also may help combat Parkinson’s disease, though researchers have yet to test this theory in clinical trials.
According to Kalipada Pahan, the lead researcher of a recent study done at Rush University Medical Center, cinnamon may help to alleviate or prevent the tremors and poor mobility suffered by those with Parkinson’s disease. The key to cinnamon’s power against Parkinson’s is a compound that is turned to sodium benzoate in the liver. The sodium benzoate is then sent to the brain, where it protects neurons and normalizes neurotransmitters.
According to Kalipada Pahan, the lead researcher of a recent study done at Rush University Medical Center, cinnamon may help to alleviate or prevent the tremors and poor mobility suffered by those with Parkinson’s disease. The key to cinnamon’s power against Parkinson’s is a compound that is turned to sodium benzoate in the liver. The sodium benzoate is then sent to the brain, where it protects neurons and normalizes neurotransmitters.
Oregano
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There are so many good reasons to season your favorite savory dishes with oregano! Among the herb’s attributes are fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin E, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, according to a study done by the Department of Agriculture, on a gram-per-gram, fresh-weight basis, oregano has four times more antioxidants than blueberries.
With so much goodness packed in each leaf, maybe the study done by a team of medical researchers in Italy shouldn’t come as a great surprise. The team used essential oil of oregano to kill drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Their study was published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, and the results have inspired follow-up studies to see if oregano may help stem the rising tide of drug-resistant staph infections in the United States and elsewhere.
With so much goodness packed in each leaf, maybe the study done by a team of medical researchers in Italy shouldn’t come as a great surprise. The team used essential oil of oregano to kill drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Their study was published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, and the results have inspired follow-up studies to see if oregano may help stem the rising tide of drug-resistant staph infections in the United States and elsewhere.
Black pepper
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It’s rare to find a kitchen without this spice today, but in the ancient world, pepper was rare and valuable enough to be used as a form of currency. A good source of manganese and copper, pepper helps support metabolism and maintain bone health. It also contains peperine, the chemical compound from which it gets its name.
The National Institute of Health published the results of a study done in Seoul, Korea, where researchers used peperine to halt, and even reverse, fatty liver disease in mice. The findings are important because fatty liver disease is of rising concern worldwide, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States.
The National Institute of Health published the results of a study done in Seoul, Korea, where researchers used peperine to halt, and even reverse, fatty liver disease in mice. The findings are important because fatty liver disease is of rising concern worldwide, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease in the United States.
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Rosemary
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“There’s rosemary, for remembrance,” wrote Shakespeare, and with its sharp, bright scent, the herb is hard to forget. Like most other greens, it’s a nutritional powerhouse, boasting good quantities of minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium, and vitamins including vitamin B6, folate, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. The latter, also known as beta-carotene, is important for healthy eyes.
Now researchers at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute have found that another component in rosemary, carnosic acid, also supports eye health. The research team reported that carnosic acid protects retinas from degeneration, and they believe that the compound may have clinical applications, including helping to prevent or halt age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the most common eye disease in the U.S., affecting more than 1.75 million people.
Now researchers at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute have found that another component in rosemary, carnosic acid, also supports eye health. The research team reported that carnosic acid protects retinas from degeneration, and they believe that the compound may have clinical applications, including helping to prevent or halt age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the most common eye disease in the U.S., affecting more than 1.75 million people.
Allspice
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What’s not to like about a spice that earned its name by combining the flavor and aroma of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg? Allspice is great in sauces and marinades for meats, is a staple ingredient for jerk seasonings, and it’s equally delicious in pumpkin pie or cookies. And if there’s a man in your life that you care about, you may just want to find creative ways to use a little more of it because there’s growing evidence that it may help combat prostate cancer.
A study done at the University of Miami used ercofolin, a compound found in allspice, to kill prostate cancer cells and significantly reduce tumor growth in animals, with none of the adverse reactions commonly caused by other cancer-killing agents. The researchers were so encouraged by the preliminary results that they are designing a follow-up study to determine if allspice may help to prevent prostate cancer altogether.
A study done at the University of Miami used ercofolin, a compound found in allspice, to kill prostate cancer cells and significantly reduce tumor growth in animals, with none of the adverse reactions commonly caused by other cancer-killing agents. The researchers were so encouraged by the preliminary results that they are designing a follow-up study to determine if allspice may help to prevent prostate cancer altogether.
Turmeric
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Turmeric may be the only spice on this list that isn’t a staple in your kitchen, though you’ve almost certainly heard of it: It’s the spice that gives curry its bright, golden color. The National Institutes of Health report that the health benefits of this spice have been extensively researched for 50 years, and that the past 25 years have shown it to be safe and effective against numerous health conditions, including pro-inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Curcumin is one of the compounds that give turmeric its clout. A clinical trial conducted at the Nirmala Medical Centre in Kerala, India (also published by the NIH), showed curcumin to be as effective as a prescription drug in relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, with no adverse side effects. The Indian team used standards established by the American College of Rheumatology to evaluate the reduction of tenderness and swelling in the joints of their patients.
Curcumin is one of the compounds that give turmeric its clout. A clinical trial conducted at the Nirmala Medical Centre in Kerala, India (also published by the NIH), showed curcumin to be as effective as a prescription drug in relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, with no adverse side effects. The Indian team used standards established by the American College of Rheumatology to evaluate the reduction of tenderness and swelling in the joints of their patients.
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Sage
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If you’re a woman of a certain age, you may have read that the phytoestrogens in sage can help to relieve hot flashes. But growing evidence suggests that it may also address a more serious condition often associated with age: Alzheimer’s disease.
An analysis of eight studies conducted on the effects of sage (the herb’s active compounds Salvia officinalis L. and Salvia lavandulaefolia L, to be precise) was published earlier this year by the National Institutes of Health. In all of the clinical trials studied, sage was shown to increase cognitive performance. Two of the studies were specific to patients with Alzheimer’s, and sage was found to decrease the effects of the disease. Moreover, no adverse reactions were found. More studies are needed, but it seems that there may be more than one reason to add sage to the menu.
An analysis of eight studies conducted on the effects of sage (the herb’s active compounds Salvia officinalis L. and Salvia lavandulaefolia L, to be precise) was published earlier this year by the National Institutes of Health. In all of the clinical trials studied, sage was shown to increase cognitive performance. Two of the studies were specific to patients with Alzheimer’s, and sage was found to decrease the effects of the disease. Moreover, no adverse reactions were found. More studies are needed, but it seems that there may be more than one reason to add sage to the menu.
Nutmeg
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What’s a glass of eggnog on New Year’s Eve without a dusting of nutmeg on the top? Turns out, ounce for ounce, nutmeg is much more mind-altering than rum! In addition to B-complex vitamins and vital minerals like copper, iron and zinc, nutmeg contains myricistin, a powerful hallucinogenic drug. Using the spice in small quantities is considered safe and may even be beneficial, but nutmeg abuse can lead to serious complications, including death.
Yet the same component that makes nutmeg potentially dangerous seems to be helpful in small quantities. A clinical trial conducted by a team of Indian researchers (who used animal models) found that myricistin was as effective as two commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs, and significantly relieved symptoms of depression in just three days. More research is needed, but the idea that something so fragrant and delicious is also good for us is uplifting news.
Yet the same component that makes nutmeg potentially dangerous seems to be helpful in small quantities. A clinical trial conducted by a team of Indian researchers (who used animal models) found that myricistin was as effective as two commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs, and significantly relieved symptoms of depression in just three days. More research is needed, but the idea that something so fragrant and delicious is also good for us is uplifting news.
