What do you know about healthy herbs and spices apart from their glorious, amazing flavours?
They are unique, versatile, colourful, and aromatic.
Herbs and spices are undoubtedly the most important ingredients known to humankind. They have been used for centuries to flavour our dishes and recipes. From the oldest known usage of spices like turmeric to healthy herbs like sage, these natural wonders are part and parcel of our daily lives these days.
But these healthy herbs and spices are more than just agents of flavour and colour. They hold more potential in terms of health properties than earlier expected. With modern science playing its role in studying about the important benefits of immune boosting herbs and spices in the field of medicine and treatment, the world is now more wary of their powers.
Top 5 Immune boosting Herbs and Spices
With our lives moving at a really fast pace in this day and age, our health is constantly on the line. Lack of a balanced diet and exercise can often lead to a weakened immune system, and it can fatal if left unchecked.
That’s where these immune boosting herbs and spices comes into the fray. Although their significance can only be ascertained over a considerable period of time and regular usage, that doesn’t mean they cease to supplement the required nutrition that’s needed in order to boost your immunity.
Here are 5 of the best herbs and spices for immunity:
1. Turmeric
Known throughout the world as the Golden Spice or Golden Dirt, turmeric has been used as a kitchen spice for thousands of years. Highly revered for its vibrant colour, aroma, and flavour this spice’s versatility exceeds far beyond being a kitchen condiment.
Curcumin is the most important component present in turmeric. Apart from being known as the colouring agent which gives turmeric its yellow colour, this potent active compound is responsible for most of the health benefits associated with this spice.
Antioxidants are extremely helpful in eliminating free radicals from the body. Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules with an uneven number of electrons. The uneven number allows them to easily react with other molecules resulting in the occurrence of many diseases in the body as a result of oxidative stress.
Turmeric proves to be very beneficial in boosting antioxidant capacity which in turn boosts immunity drastically.
There are many ways in which you can boost your immunity with turmeric.
2. Ginger
There is no other spice as potent as ginger that’s for sure. This beloved kitchen spice has been used in dishes and recipes for ages. Its extremely aromatic and delivers quite a punch to your recipes whether you incorporate it into your curries and gravies or your teas.
Ginger is known to have a very high gingerol content, a chemical compound which is responsible for all the health properties of ginger.
This healthy spice is known to also possess powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which helps in boosting immunity.
Ing Makhir is a native ginger variety of Meghalaya and it is known to be one of the best ginger varieties in the world. This particular ginger is revered for its excellent healing properties, most of which stems from its extreme potent nature.
Boost your immunity with this highly effective Kadha (Ginger Tonic) recipe.
3. Lemongrass
If you’ve ever heard of lemongrass tea you must surely know the benefits which makes this herb one of the most healthy herbs out there.
Cymbopogon as it is scientifically known, lemongrass is a powerhouse of health benefits such as antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties altogether accounts for the overall immunity boosting properties of lemongrass.
4. Gotu Kola
Centella asiatica or Gotu Kola is a herbaceous, perennial plant from the Apiaceae family of flowering plants. It is highly revered in the Ayurvedic medicine world for its beneficial health properties.
Apart from its detoxing and healing properties, Gotu Kola is also an excellent immunity booster. Having a tea blend with Gotu Kola everyday increases your antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity thereby protecting your body from ailments and diseases.
5. Szechuan Pepper
Known for its mouth tingling and aromatic fragrance, Szechuan peppercorns contains different nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants that are required by the body to function properly.
Szechuan pepper has the ability to stimulate the immune system, to reduce pain, boost appetite, increase blood circulation, strengthen bones, and reduce inflammation.
Herbs and Spices for a Healthy Life
It is definitely high time that we resort to nature’s bounty in the quest of attaining a fruitful and healthy lifestyle. And what better way to do that than through these healthy herbs and spices.
There are several other healthy herbs and spices out there that achieves the same desired effect, but one thing we should always keep in mind is the fact that the herbal way takes time to show the results that we want to see.
But that shouldn’t stop us, should it?
