First of two parts
Reprinted from The Voice September 21, 2017.
The more we learn about cooking and eating healthy the more we become aware of the wonderful herbs and spices that are available to enhance flavors and even our health.
The following article was printed in the Food Revolution Network by Kanchan Koya.
“For most of my life, I suffered from eczema, with embarrassingly inflamed, itchy, and unsightly skin. While genes can be powerful determinants of our fate, food and lifestyle play an under-appreciated role in our wellness destiny. In my own case, food changes have proven to be game-changing.
“At the root of nearly all diseases, such as eczema, allergies, irritable bowel disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and obesity, is the double-edged sword we rely on for our survival: Inflammation.
“Inflammation is a useful biological response to infection and disease, but, like a fire gone wild, chronic, unwanted inflammation can make us sick.
“The modern Western diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors contribute to this pro-inflammatory storm. Fortunately, nature has provided us with powerful, inflammation-fighting ingredients, that are delicious to boot!
“While everyone rightfully reaches for turmeric, that’s not where the inflammation-busting story ends. Here are five additional, anti-inflammatory spices we ought to embrace in our kitchens: “Packed with aroma, flavour, and beneficial compounds, these spices battle unwanted inflammation and elevate our food in exciting ways. Moreover, they expand the taste-buds of our kids and boost their health.
“Cayenne pepper is an anti-inflammatory spice. A recent study in mice, fed a high-fat diet, showed that capsaicin, found in cayenne pepper, lowers inflammation. Fascinatingly, it does so by altering the composition of gut bacteria to more beneficial strains. This, in turn, lowers inflammation-associated obesity!
“Other studies have shown that people who consume more chili pepper have a 13% reduction in mortality, probably linked to capsaicin’s anti-inflammatory effects.
“Kids are generally not fans of cayenne, so milder paprika, which contains a smaller amount of capsaicin, is a reasonable alternative.
Recipe idea: Plant-based Cayenne Lemon Quinoa
-Continued next week