Spice up your life…
and your health
M
Most good cooks know that using
herbs and spices in food preparation help flavor food without adding
extra sodium, calories, sugar and fat.
Modern science has given us more
reasons to flavor our foods with these
seasonings. Many herbs and spices
have shown medicinal benefits and
are believed to be weapons against
illnesses and chronic diseases.
Spices and herbal therapies have been
used for thousands of years in nonWestern cultures as accepted remedies
and cures for disease. A common
saying in India cautions that “a house
without ginger is a sick house.” In
the past, these “therapies” were
considered unorthodox by Western
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PEACHY
WRITTEN BY
Dr. Nancy Palermo Lietz
doctors, yet recent studies suggest
there is a basis for their longevity. In
cultures where herbs and spices are
used in large quantities, the incidence
of diet-related diseases such as heart
disease and cancer are low. Science is
just beginning to uncover the specific
health benefits.
The marketplace has picked up on
the data and, in turn, demand and
supply has increased exponentially.
After implementation of the Dietary
Supplement Health and Education
Act in 1994, the number of herbal
products on the market has increased
from approximately 4,000 products
to more than 29,000. Recent national
surveys have reported that 72 percent