Herbs and Spices

If you grew up eating the standard American diet, your first curry might have been a shock to your palate. (Either “My mouth is on fire; where’s the fire extinguisher?” or “Where have you been all my life?” depending on the level of spiciness and your tolerance.) But if you have Indian, Thai, Caribbean, or Chinese ancestry, curries may have been part of your culinary tradition for centuries. So what kinds of curries are there? Are they good for you? Can they be plant-based? And how can you get started cooking some of the world’s most popular dishes?

Also called the “Miracle Tree” and “Tree of Life,” moringa has been heralded as a superfood even more amazing than kale. Research confirms its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cancer-preventive powers. And it’s great for the environment, and can even combat world hunger! Here’s all you need to know about this little-known, yet nutritious, superfood — and superplant.

What do salads, sandwiches, and salaries have in common? They all take their names from one of the most historically and nutritionally important foods in the human diet: salt. Salt has played an outsized role in military campaigns, sometimes driving them and sometimes acting as a weapon. In this article, we’ll focus on a modern dilemma in the realm of nutrition: should we avoid salt and sodium, is it completely bad for us, or is there a healthy place for salt in our diets?

Many Eastern healing traditions rely on certain plants to help the body deal with stress and regain balance. The West is just now catching up on the use of these plants, known as adaptogens. And they’re becoming increasingly popular. But do they work? Are they safe to use? What does the research say about them, and would you benefit from taking them?

Ginger is a popular spice found in many cuisines and home remedies. But aside from flavoring a variety of dishes and drinks, what do we know about this spicy root? Discover the health benefits of ginger and its potential side effects, in addition to ginger uses and recipes.

Name a spice that’s equally at home in Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern food. If you said “cumin,” bingo! There’s a good chance that you’ll find ground or whole cumin seeds in your pantry right now, but do you know everything this spice has to offer?

Maca root has gained popularity in the supplement aisle, but where does it come from, and what exactly is this vegetable? Does maca have any health benefits, and if so, are they worth giving it a try? Are there any reasons to avoid maca? Here’s what the current research says about maca root — and some easy ways to incorporate it into your diet if you want to do so.

Spices can add fabulous flavor. But new research is telling us that these five healthy spices can also fight Alzheimer’s, inflammation, cancer, migraine headaches, stomach problems, and type 2 diabetes. Add culinary delight to your meals with these 5 fabulously healthy spices!

Adding spices is an easy way to improve your digestive health naturally! Here’s how...

Horseradish contains cancer-fighting compounds that help detoxify and eliminate cancer-causing free-radicals in the body.

Dandelion root is a super nutritious food that fights cancer. You'll never look at this weed the same way again!

Stress happens to everyone. How do you cope? These herbs have stunning, proven, stress-fighting powers…