Is turmeric good for you? Learn about the best spices for health benefits and the compounds that create a spice’s signature aroma.
Spices are full of flavor, and the flavors we all know and love in our favorite spices are a clue to the potent medicine tucked into our kitchen cabinets. However, the household spice rack contains so much more than flavor. The compounds that create a spice’s signature aroma and taste have additional benefits inside our bodies, from balancing blood sugar to toning the immune system. For centuries, herbs and spices have been the cornerstone of healing modalities – whether that’s turmeric in Ayurvedic medicine or garlic in Mediterranean folk remedies.
For me, the decision to turn to herbs for healing came not from idealism but from need. When I found myself in the operating room for brain surgery at age 19, the surgeon told me I’d landed there because of the side effects of a pharmaceutical drug. I realized that our medical model excels at saving lives in emergencies but does little to build the kind of good health that can help keep us off the operating table.
Now, 35 years into teaching herbal medicine, I’ve found that one of my most relied-upon measures for building and maintaining good health has been the spice rack! You don’t have to have a degree to start working with the healing herbs in your kitchen. Here, I’ll share seven time-tested spices that have proven effective in building excellent health for me and my students. Start weaving these into more of your meals and experience the benefits of a well-nourished body, improved digestion, strong immunity, and more. (Always consult with your doctor or health-care provider before using spices for medicinal purposes. Pay attention to your body’s reaction to them, and use spices as an addition to a balanced diet. – Mother)
Cinnamon Health Benefits
Is cinnamon good for you? This sweet-spicy tree bark (Cinnamomum verum) may help the body keep blood sugar levels in check by rebalancing its innate insulin response. When our bodies become resistant to insulin, we’re at greater risk of developing a host of issues: cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes. So, by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin and keeping blood sugar levels low, we might have more success with the apple a day that “keeps the doctor away” if we add a liberal dash of cinnamon.
Use Ceylon cinnamon (C. verum), since the more readily available cassia cinnamon (C. cassia) can be harmful in large quantities. I limit intake of cassia cinnamon to 1 teaspoon daily.
To get more cinnamon into your life, put it in a shaker and keep it on the table for easy access. We did this, and when my son was 3, he started helping himself to our cinnamon shaker, adding it to his oatmeal and creamed rice.
One of cinnamon’s lesser-known powers is that it can help ease menstrual cramps. A 2015 study by researchers at the Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Iran, found that cinnamon reduced the severity and duration of menstruation-related pain compared with a placebo. I’ve also seen this firsthand, with cinnamon tea calming clients’ menstrual complaints.
What is the Health Benefit of Garlic?
One of the most long-standing herbs in folk medicine, garlic (Allium sativum) was used medicinally as early as 2000 BCE in China. Garlic also appears in the earliest medical records in India, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Believed to help strengthen the body’s constitution, garlic was given to the workers who built Egypt’s pyramids and to the earliest Olympic athletes. The word for garlic in Sanskrit means “slayer of monsters.”
Thanks to modern research, we know garlic is high in trace minerals and sulfur-containing compounds. It also has antimicrobial properties, and it has been shown to increase white blood cell production, supporting the body’s natural defenses against viruses and bacteria.
There’s evidence that garlic supports heart and brain health by lowering high blood pressure and inhibiting the formation of plaque in the arteries. It might also protect neurons in the brain, helping to slow cognitive decline and improve memory. Finally, consumption of garlic has an inverse correlation with the risk of many cancers, including oral, stomach, esophageal, colon, and prostate.
If you’ve ever eaten raw garlic, you might be wondering how a person can do so without making their stomach turn. Although some people can handle and even enjoy raw garlic, I typically mix it into food. Try keeping a garlic press at the table so you can top savory meals with fresh garlic. I also love mixing minced garlic with honey. Yes, garlic honey! It’s sweet, then spicy – a delicious combination some people find almost addictive.
Paprika Health Benefits
Paprika (Capsicum annuum) is abundant in nutrients, including beta carotene, lutein, and vitamin E, giving it an overall immune-supportive effect. Beta carotene and vitamin E are antioxidants, which protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Further, the body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which our bodies need for immune health, vision, and proper function of organs, including the heart and lungs. Vitamin E helps improve immunity, carry out intercellular functions, and widen blood vessels for beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Additionally, a diet abundant in flavonoid-rich foods, including paprika, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Flavonoids also help protect against buildup on arterial walls, assisting in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
In a dish, paprika brings the flavor profile of a spicy pepper but with minimal heat – but do take care, because different varieties of paprika range from mild to hot. I use mild, relatively sweet Hungarian paprika and keep a small bowl of this spice on the table so we can use it to garnish breakfast eggs, sandwiches, and many dinner meals.
Rosemary Herb Benefits
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), a member of the mint family, has traditionally been used as a digestion-boosting carminative, a circulatory tonic, a brain tonic to improve memory, and a pain reliever. Studies suggest that rosemary has a protective effect on neurons, helping to slow the effects of aging on the brain in animal studies, and its extract can support recovery from a stroke.
I enjoy a cup of rosemary tea in the morning, and I find it invigorates my brain and all parts of my body. Although rosemary is much subtler than coffee, I’ve seen people who want to kick their coffee habit use rosemary as a substitute. It gets their blood moving in the morning, promotes mental clarity, and lifts the spirit.
In addition, rosemary is effective in slowing the growth of bacteria involved in food spoilage, and when used in cooking, it promotes gastrointestinal health. I put rosemary in marinades and sauces, and I mince it finely to sprinkle atop salads, rice, meat, and fish. Rosemary and roasted potatoes are a well-known classic, but rosemary is also delicious in potato salads, on baked potatoes, and paired with garlic in mashed potatoes.
Is Turmeric Good for You?
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its primary active compound, curcumin, have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to help ease pain, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the body’s resistance to pathogens. Modern-day research has confirmed that turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, liver-protective, immunostimulant, and antiseptic properties.
As an antimutagenic herb, turmeric may slow the development of some cancer cells and stimulate immune cells that fight cancer. Curcumin has also been noteworthy in its ability to ease inflammation in the joints. In a small 2012 pilot study by researchers at the Nirmala Medical Centre in Kerala, India, the group given curcumin showed greater improvement than those who took an anti-inflammatory drug. For this purpose, I suggest a teaspoon of tasty turmeric-ginger honey twice a day.
A 2020 study by researchers at the University of Westminster and the Coventry University suggests that iron and bioavailable curcumin can increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy adults, promoting neuroplasticity in the brain and improving memory.
There are lots of ways to sneak turmeric into your diet. I love turmeric in tuna salad, chicken salad, rice, pesto, eggs, bean salads, millet dishes, and sautéed vegetables. It has a distinctive taste, but it’s hardly detectable when you incorporate a little into a large meal. Add it to an egg and veggie scramble in the morning, drink turmeric-ginger tea during the day, and add a big pinch to your bowl of stew in the evening.
Fennel Health Benefits
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed is one of my favorite herbs for promoting digestion and soothing an upset stomach. It has a long history of use as a digestive support in folk medicine, starting in the Mediterranean region and stretching into other parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. It’s been used to bring digestive balance to a wide range of issues, even those that seem to be opposed, such as loose bowels and constipation.
How does it work? The results of one study suggest that eating fennel stimulates short-term bile acid secretion by 48 percent, benefiting digestion and absorption and making it an effective carminative. When we call upon herbs for support through the occasional bout of digestive discomfort, we begin to shift into the mindset of balancing our bodies from within rather than suppressing symptoms – a much needed mindset shift.
Fennel seed has an enjoyable licorice-like flavor. Drink fennel-seed tea or simply chew on some fennel seeds to help digest heavy meals.
Thyme Health Benefits
When I hear about problems associated with the lungs and throat, I think of thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Research has suggested that thyme can ease coughing related to acute bronchitis and speed recovery as well. Thyme has been shown to help regulate excessive mucus production. When you have lots of snot and a rattling cough, eat thyme mixed with honey or stir a spoonful into tea.
It would be hard to go wrong with thyme in the kitchen. It’s a main fixture in my Garden Salt Substitute –a blend of equal parts powdered thyme, chives, parsley, and rosemary – which we keep on the table to add to meals as needed. Spicy and pungent, thyme will enhance the flavor profile of almost any soup, stew, sauce, or savory dish. And a liberal sprinkling of it will liven up almost any starch. Add it to rice, millet, quinoa, potatoes, or even toast.
The Everyday Apothecary
Herbs and spices are packed with beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and antimicrobial compounds. When you work with these spices, your meals will become nutrient-rich, more digestible, and full of everyday herbal medicine. The best part is that this apothecary is already in your kitchen!
Kami McBride is an author and herbalist whose online herb courses and bestselling book The Herbal Kitchen have helped thousands of people learn how to use common kitchen herbs and spices in delightfully simple, new, and delicious ways. Find her on social media @KamiMcBride.
Originally published in the August/September 2025 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS and regularly vetted for accuracy.
