Meet 10 Healthy Spices

Meet 10 spices that have body and mood benefits — and pump up every dish.

When was the last time you went on a shopping spree in the spice aisle? Or just poked around in the back corners of your spice cabinet? Chances are, it’s been a while. Seasonings spark up flavor in a big way — so why do we forget, beyond the usual chili pot, to break out those toasty, zippy wonders, much less finish a jar’s worth?

We gotta start raising our spice game, says Lisa Young, Ph.D., R.D., an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, because with the right seasonings, we can “minimize the need for excess salt, fat, and sometimes even sugar.”

Research, including investigations funded by the National Institutes of Health, also suggests that specific spices may help fight diseases such as cancer and arthritis. “Many spices contain concentrated levels of beneficial compounds that possibly rival the effectiveness of certain drugs,” says Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., fellowship director for the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine and author of Healthy at Home: Get Well and Stay Well Without Prescriptions. Scientists aren’t sure yet how those benefits carry over into the kitchen, but spices are definitely a mouthwatering essential in any stay-healthy eating plan, Low Dog says.

Ready to spice things up? These recipes and seasoning tips will get you going, but you don’t even need a recipe — just play.

                                                    Saffron

SaffronA little flowery, a little bitter — in a good way! Quickly soak saffron threads in water before adding to the pot. This brings out the flavor and helps give dishes like rice a great golden color.

Shrimp with Saffron: Soak ¼ tsp crushed saffron in 1 Tbsp warm water, 3 min. Cook 1 cup chopped onion in 2 Tbsp olive oil with 2 tsp minced garlic, the saffron water, and ½ tsp coarse salt, plus pepper to taste, over medium-high heat, 4 min. Add 1 lb peeled and cleaned shrimp and cook, 4 min. Stir in 2 Tbsp lime juice. 160 cal

Rice Dishes: Soak a pinch or 2 of crushed saffron in 1 Tbsp warm water, 3 min. Stir into risotto or other rice dishes.

Soups: Soak a pinch or 2 of crushed saffron in 1 Tbsp warm water, 3 min. Stir into tomato soup, fish chowder, or minestrone.

Saffron may help ease depression, because each pinch delivers an antioxidant called crocin. Several small studies have found that saffron or crocin pills get results when used alone or with antidepressants.

 

 

                                                                    Fennel Seeds

Fennel Seeds

These slightly sweet seeds have a licoricelike flavor that is super in Italian dishes and makes all sorts of foods sing. To crush the seeds, use the flat side of a chef’s knife.

Carrot Soup with Fennel Seeds: Cook 1 cup chopped onion in 2 Tbsp olive oil with 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ tsp crushed fennel seeds, and ½ tsp coarse salt, plus pepper to taste, over medium heat, 3 min. Add 1 lb carrots (cut into 1-inch pieces; 2½ cups) and 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth. Simmer, covered, 20 min. Puree in a blender. Dollop with plain 2% Greek yogurt. 146 cal

Tomato-Fennel Pasta: Add up to 1½ tsp crushed fennel seeds to marinara sauce. Toss with whole wheat pasta and grated Parmesan.

Fennel-Coated Salmon: Crush 1½ tsp fennel seeds. Mix with olive oil, lemon zest, coarse salt, and pepper. Use as a rub for salmon fillets, then bake.

 

 

From : drozthegoodlife