Healing and Medicinal Properties of Cooking Spices

I use spices that have been proven to possess therapeutic and healing properties. Spices help you elevate any dish from the ordinary to a feast for the senses of sight, smell, and taste. Spice your meals to enhance your food with better taste and medicinal and healing properties without adding calories. Spices and herbs contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism. Centuries old eastern medicine and now recent studies and scientific research both boast the medicinal healing benefits of spices. My faves:

TURMERIC POWDER.
Turmeric adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive deep yellow-orange color to foods. It has been long been used in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for healing and as a condiment. It is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and potassium. Turmeric is a heating spice for the body, turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is a strong antioxidant. Every teaspoon of it has medicinal value.

CORIANDER SEEDS
Coriander seeds is high on the list of the healing spices. Referred to as an “anti-diabetic” plant, it is used for its anti-inflammatory properties. Coriander seeds contain an unusual array of phytonutrients. They are a very good source of dietary fiber and a good source of iron, magnesium and manganese. Coriander is known to be a powerful aid to digestion, has anti-bacterial properties and helps to prevent infection in wounds as well as aids in combating allergies.

RED CHILI POWDER
After being harvested, red chili peppers are dried in the sun and may be left whole, crushed into flakes, or ground into powder. Chili peppers are used as a food and seasoning and revered for their medicinal qualities. (*Do not touch the eyes or any cuts when handling red chilies.) Red chili peppers contain beta-carotene, are a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and dietary fiber. They are also a good source of iron and potassium. Red chili aids is weight loss, fights inflammation in the body and boosts the body’s immunity to fight diseases Red chili peppers in any form should be used in very small quantities for their yoga/health benefits and should not be consumed in excess.

CUMIN SEEDS
Cumin seed flavor is penetrating, nutty and peppery with slight citrus overtones. It can be used in both forms – tempering the seeds(http://onesmallpot.com/2013/04/24/tempering-in-indian-cooking/ a quick fry in 1-2 tsp oil to release oils and flavors) or dry-roasted ground powder.

To Roast Cumin Powder: Add cumin seeds to a pan and dry roast on low flame until they turn dark brown. Usually it takes less than 5 minutes. Cool the seeds and use a mortar and pestle to grind to a powder (not too fine). Roasted cumin powder is rich brown in color, and the smell is quite pronounced—strong and heavy, with acrid or warm depths. The aroma and flavor persists for quite some time. Store in glass jar in a cool place. This powder stays fresh for over 6 months. Do not burn. If your seeds burn, toss them out, they will ruin the dish.

Cumin seeds are a very good source of iron and a good source of manganese. Cumin is a cooling spice. It carries a reputation as the “seeds of good digestion”. They are known to help flush toxins out of the body and provide iron for energy and immune function.

FENNEL SEEDS
Fennel’s aromatic taste is unique, strikingly reminiscent of licorice and anise, so much so that fennel is often mistakenly referred to as anise. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, folate, and molybdenum. In addition, fennel is a good source of niacin as well as the minerals phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Fennel seeds are a cooling spice (cools the body) and have a unique combination of nutrients that make it a powerful antioxidant. Fennel seeds are also believed to help cure stomach complaints and is extremely good for digestion, they can be chewed after a meal.

Other spices include:

ALLSPICE
Active ingredient is eugenol, same as cloves. Topical pain relief, tea and mouthwash.

ANISE
Seven tsp. of seed to one quart water, boil down by half, add 4 tbsp. of honey, take two tsp to calm a cough. Drink tea for memory, aid digestion, and a wash for oily skin.

ANNATO
(Lipstick tree) Lightly crushed seeds added to food is like natural gas-x.

ARROW ROOT POWDER
One tbsp in a cup of juice every few hours to relieve diarrhea. Poultice to soothe skin inflammations.

ASAFOETIDA
Buy the tincture in Indian shops. They add a drop to many dishes to relieve stomach pains (gas). Insect repellent. Topical use to heal ulcerated sores.

ASPARAGUS
Boil in water and drink the water for kidney problems. Dissolves uric acid deposits and promotes urination.

BASIL
Add fresh herb or seeds to boiled water to make tea for migraines and bed time restlessness. Douche for yeast infections, eliminates candida, gargle and mouthwash. Pregnant women should avoid medicinal use of basil.

BAY LAUREL
Heat leaves in a little olive oil to make a bay oil salve for arthritis and aches.

CARAWAY
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add 4 tsp lightly crushed seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes, then steep 15 min. Drink with meals to prevent gas, even for infant colic. Promotes menstruation and relieves uterine cramping.

CARDAMON
Digestive aid, eases gluten intolerance (celiac disease). Sprinkle powder on cereal.

CAYENNE PEPPER
Capsicum speeds metabolism. Capsicum cream and oils relieve arthritis and aches, not just by warming and stimulating blood flow, but also by blocking pain transmission by nerves. (blocks substance P) Prevents blood clots, heals ulcers. “Jewish” penicillin, cayenne and garlic in chicken soup really IS as effective as antibiotics after the onset of cold or flu. Cayenne dramatically drops blood sugar levels and should by avoided by hypoglycemics. Cayenne promotes excretion of cholesterol through the intestines. It increases energy levels and aura brilliance.

CELERY
Sedative. Active ingredient thalide. Seed and stalk, reduces hypertension. Celery seed tea for the kidneys as a cleanser.

CHERVIL
Steep in boiled water and apply with an eye cup for a wide range of eye complaints.
CHICORY
Liver cleanser, fat cleanser, dissolves gallstones. Prepare like coffee.

CILANTRO
Leafy part of coriander plant. Food poisoning preventative.

CINNAMON
Mouthwash, good for upset stomach. Simmer sticks with cloves for 3 min, add 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp honey, 2 tbsp whiskey – as cold medication. Cinnamon is good for yeast infection and athlete’s foot. A 2% solution will kill both of these conditions. Boil 8-10 sticks in 4 cups water, simmer 5 min, steep 45 min, then douche or apply to athlete’s foot. Cinnamon reduces cancer causing tendencies of many food additives.

CLOVE
Use oil for pain relief for sore gums and toothache. Add clove oil to neutral oils for topical pain relief of arthritis. Small amounts of clove in a tea for nausea. 3 cloves in two cups of boiled water, steeped for 20 minutes, as an antiseptic and mouthwash. Former alcoholics can suck on one or two cloves when the craving strikes to curb the desire.

COFFEE
Although not a spice, it is commonly available in the kitchen. The caffeine in coffee can be used to alleviate headaches (particularly those caused by caffeine withdrawal.) Coffee enemas with olive oil are used to cleanse the bowels and are one of the safest and most thoroughly cleansing enemas available. Caution and common sense must be used to avoid dependency. Hot black coffee sipped through a straw helps break up mucus congestion in the lungs.

Do not burn. If your seeds burn, toss them out, they will ruin the dish.

DILL
Bring one pint of white wine almost to a boil, remove from heat and add 4 tsp of dill seeds, let steep 30 minutes and strain. Drink 1 ½ cups a half hour before retiring to sleep well. To the same directions, but substitute for the 4 tsp of dill, instead add 1 tsp each of anise, caraway, coriander and dill to stimulate the flow of breast milk in nursing mothers. Chewing dill seeds removes bad breath.

FENUGREEK
Use as a tea as an excellent relief for colic and fever in children. 1 tbsp ground fenugreek seed taken in the diet daily can reduce cholesterol. 8 tsps of seed presoaked in 4 cups cold water for 4 hours, then boil for 2 minutes, strain and drink 1 cup a day to ease hay fever attacks.

GARLIC
Ultimate antibiotic. Useful even for sexually transmitted diseases. Strongly recommended for hypoglycemia, and diabetes. Destroys intestinal parasites. Reduces cholesterol. Repels insects, and reduces sting effects of insects and red ants.

GINGER
Anti-nausea tea, blood thinner, substitute for coumadin. Boil 2/3 cup of freshly chopped root in 1 gallon water, wrapped in cheesecloth (or old nylon stocking) until the water is yellow. Then soak towel and lay on bruises and sprains while still hot, to ease them. Stimulates a delayed period. Warm ginger tea is good to break up congestion and fever. Ginger is one of the few herbs that easily passes the blood/brain membrane and is used in conjunction with other herbs that are meant to have an effect on the mind. Pregnant women should avoid medicinal concentrations of ginger. Its much better to have healthy life, than take drugs late. Its more obvious after reading different cases at http://sideeffectsofxarelto.org/current-xarelto-lawsuits/.

HORSERADISH
Freshly dug root is added to a cold-pressed oil of choice (such as safflower or olive) to make a massage oil for muscle aches and to break up chest congestion. Grate fresh ginger and horseradish together and make a tea to stop post nasal drip.

LEMONGRASS
½ cup dried leaves to 2 pints of water, simmer for 10 minutes, and sip to bring down fevers.

LICORICE
Tranquilizer. Balances nervous system, stimulates liver functions. Long term usage (over 3 months) could cause liver damage.

LOVAGE
Steep root for 15 min in a cup of boiled water, drink after every meal to prevent flatulence.

MARJORAM AND OREGANO
Over 2 dozen related species. Use as a tea to help reduce fevers and break up bronchitis. Drink tea to relieve cramps and irregular menstruation. Eases suffering of childhood diseases like mumps and measles.

MINT
(Peppermint and spearmint)
Peppermint tea for migraines, nervousness, stomach disorders, heartburn, and abdominal cramps. Herpes sufferers can take 2 cups of tea a day to ease the symptoms when the virus is active. Mints are used to buffer the action of other herbs that have uncomfortable effects on the stomach and intestines. Can be used in any combination for flavor.

MUSTARD SEEDS
The mustard is a well-known oil seed. Tempering it leaves a crunchy, warm, slightly bitter taste with no smell. Mustard seeds are a very good source of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. They are also a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, protein, niacin and zinc. Mustard not only stimulates the appetite but also has digestive, laxative, antiseptic, and circulative stimulant properties. It is also known for its anti-inflammation properties. 1 ½ cups of dry yellow mustard in a bathtub of water for sprained backs. Make a paste with water and apply to knee and elbow sprains till blisters appear! Mustard and ginger plaster for deep rattling coughs – 1 tsp each mustard and ginger powder mixed with 2 ½ tbsp of olive oil. Rub over chest and back and put on an old T-shirt (or cover with cloth diaper).

NUTMEG AND MACE
Gas, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and kidney problems – make a paste of powder with cold water and then add to boiled water. 1 tbsp of powdered nutmeg produces a floating euphoria for between 6 and 24 hours. Can cause near constant erections for men during that time. Side effects are bone and muscle aches, burning eyes, sinus drainage, and limited diarrhea.

ONION
Egyptians swore their oaths on onions; Grant refused to move his army until he got 3 railroad cars full of onions; interviews with hundreds of people who lived to 100 plus all indicated a heavy intake of onions in the diet. Onion is an excellent dressing for burns. Crush sliced onions with a little bit of salt and apply to burns. Apply sliced onion to bee and wasp stings. For asthma: puree an onion, cover it with brandy and let sit overnight, strain it, filter it through a coffee filter, and refrigerate. Take 2 tbsp 20 minutes before expected onset or before going to bed.

PARSLEY
The purifier. Chew for halitosis. A few sprigs provide 2/3 the vitamin C of an orange, lots of vitamin A, and the important amino acid histidine, which is a tumor inhibitor. Parsley tea is good for kidney problems, painful urination, and kidney stones. One cup of parsley to 1 quart of water makes a strong tea. Two cups of parsley to 1 quart of water, steep an hour and drink warm, as an aphrodisiac. In Spain they have found that feeding parsley to sheep will bring them into heat at any time of year!

PEPPER (black)
Pain relief from toothache, brings down a fever.

ROSEMARY
Flower tea for the breath. Boil water with rosemary in it to make it safe to drink. Diuretic and liver aid, increases bile flow. Two handfuls of flowering tips into 2 cups of good brandy, soak 10 days, strain and seal. Mouthful twice daily. Oil of rosemary is a natural anti-oxidant, and stress reliever; sniff for headaches. Chop a double handful of twigs and put in a pint of olive oil for one week, and use as a muscle liniment.

SAGE
Chew a fresh leaf and put on insect bite to reduce sting and swelling. Sage tea for the throat. Two cups of sage tea a day for a week will dry up mother’s milk. For the itching of skin problems, steep a handful of freshly crushed leaves in a pint of boiled water for one hour, and bathe the area, then sprinkle with whole wheat flour. Sage tea prevents blood clots.

TARRAGON
1 ½ tsp cut dried herb in 1 ¾ cups boiled water, steep 40 minutes, drink warm for insomnia, hyperactivity, depression, or nervous exhaustion. (or anything “jittery”) For digestion steep a handful of dried leaves in a jar with apple cider vinegar, stand 7 hours, strain and seal. Take 1 tbsp before each meal.

TEA
Caffeine relieves migraines. Tea drinkers suffer less hardening of the arteries than coffee drinkers. Black tea kills dental plaque.

THYME
Antibiotic. A tsp in ½ cup boiled water to make a gargle or mouthwash, to prevent bad breath, tooth decay, and cold sores. Drink for cold, flu, fever, and allergy symptoms. As a bath for nail fungus and athlete’s foot, and also as a douche. Compress for bumps and bruises. Health liqueur – 6 sprigs of thyme in 1 ½ cups of brandy for 5 days, shaking daily. Take several times daily when you feel a cold coming on. Thyme is good for killing bacteria and for relaxing tense muscles. Relieves migraine headaches and stomach cramps.

TUMERIC
Turmeric adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive deep yellow-orange color to foods. It has been long been used in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for healing and as a condiment. It is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and potassium. Turmeric is a heating spice for the body, turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is a strong antioxidant. Every teaspoon of it has medicinal value. Anti-oxidant. Powdered turmeric on any ulcerated skin condition or mix with enough lime juice to make a paste and put on herpes sores, mumps, chicken pox, etc. Dip a cloth in turmeric solution to wash away discharges from conjunctivitis and opthamalia. As an anti-inflammatory, turmeric’s properties are as good as 1% hydrocortisone and phenylobutazone. Take ½ tsp in juice in the morning and evening to aid in removing fat around the liver. Turmeric, bay leaf, clove, and cinnamon all tripled insulin performance in metabolizing blood glucose in a test tube! Field tests proved to greatly enhance production of insulin by the pancreas. “Spicecaps” from Great American Natural Products have a pinch of cinnamon, 2 cloves, ½ bay leaf, and 1 tsp of turmeric per capsule.

VANILLA
Sexual stimulant. Soak a cotton ball with vanilla extract, squeeze it out, put it under the tongue and it will quickly calm hysteria.

VINEGAR
Naturally brewed apple cider vinegar deserves a course all on it’s own. It is one of the finest blood cleansers and arthritis cures known. Take 1 tbsp per day of equal parts vinegar and honey in water to taste to cleanse the blood and reduce inflammation from arthritis. Be sure to use naturally brewed vinegar, as the white cheap stuff in the grocery store is actually acetic acid, a petroleum by-product, and pretty well useless. (except as a window cleaner!)

BAKING SODA
Although not an herb or a spice, it is especially recommended for people who are allergic to MSG. Many people will use a meat tenderizer for bee stings, but it contains MSG which can cause some people to swell. Instead, make a paste and apply directly to the insect bite to reduce swelling. You can also mix 1 tsp with water and take for relief of indigestion.

Some of the above from http://www.ladybridget.com/h/medspcs.html

Bibliography
The Herb Book, by John Lust.
“Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices”, by John Heinerman.
“The Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide to the Curative Power of Nature’s Medicines”, by Micheal Castleman
“The Vinegar Book”, by Emily Thacker

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