3 Medicinal spices that are a must-have in YOUR kitchen + tips to when and how to use them

You may not find many high level studies that confirm the medicinal benefits of the 3 below spices-because big pharma cannot make money from herbs- but these have been used for centuries, well studied and I would like to share with you the proposed mechanism of how these can be a beneficial addition to you regular meals. It takes understanding why we want to implement these into everyday cooking and the intention to do so daily. It will make you feel like you are taking the extra step of using what is natural, readily available, and can have wonderful benefits.

Cinnamon

There are many studies evaluating the effect of cinnamon on blood sugar levels - yes there is more evidence needed and as a pharmacist, I would not tell a patient with diabetes to rely on cinnamon as a treatment, but using cinnamon to help aid blood glucose control is an easily preventable measure. I see its benefits especially when added to carb-heavy meals.

The proposed mechanism of action is that polyphenolic polymers compounds such as hydroxychalconecinnamon- mimic insulin, and help cells uptake the glucose by increasing insulin sensitivity, therefore lowering post-meal blood glucose spikes.1

Dose for Cassia cinnamon:  ¼-1/2 teaspoon (1-2g) of organic cinnamon powder per meal or a drink. My favorite way to include this is to mix it into meals such as oatmeal, yogurt, chia pudding, banana bread or coffee.

Turmeric

I think of turmeric (curcumin) as this anti-carcinogenic spice that if able, I will add it to everything. Turmeric has vast research supporting its anti-inflammatory properties by decreasing the number of proinflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha.2 Curcumin also has antioxidant effects and may inhibit interleukin 1-beta (IL-1-beta) stimulated inflammatory and catabolic mediators, including prostaglandin E2, IL-6, IL-8, and nitric oxide in the body, further decreasing inflammation and free radical concentrations. Supplemental daily dosing of turmeric may seem especially interesting to patients suffering from arthritis and cancer. 3

It is thought curcumin may work on COX-2 receptors decreasing inflammation-similar to NSAID drugs. Cancer-targeted studies focus on curcumin possibly having an effect of cancerous cell death, inhibiting angiogenesis and preventing tumor metastasis.

Finally, it has antimicrobial effect- curcumin can directly prevent antimicrobial growth such as E. coli and staph bacteria. The dose is between 1-2 grams per serving. Use it on vegetables, poultry, fish or even a turmeric ginger tea if you can stomach it. Don’t forget to brush your teeth and wipe down the counters to prevent staining.

Extra tip; when using turmeric, make sure to use black pepper as well. Black pepper contains piperine which enhances the absorption of turmeric.

Oregano

The most interesting beneficial effect of including oregano is getting that extra antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral effect in your gut oregano is believed to have, thanks to it’s active constituent- carvacrol. Carvacol directly acts on bacteria such as Bacilli and breaks down their membrane.4 Why not take the preventative measure and add some oregano into your salad dressing, while baking or pizza.

Dose? ½ teaspoon-1 teaspoon should be a safe and palatable option.

1.Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, Schmidt WF, Khan A, Flanagan VP, Schoene NW, Graves DJ. Isolation and characterization of polyphenol type-A polymers from cinnamon with insulin-like biological activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jan 14;52(1):65-70. doi: 10.1021/jf034916b. PMID: 14709014.

2.Amalraj A, Varma K, Jacob J, Divya C, Kunnumakkara AB, Stohs SJ, Gopi S. A Novel Highly Bioavailable Curcumin Formulation Improves Symptoms and Diagnostic Indicators in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Dose, Three-Arm, and Parallel-Group Study. J Med Food. 2017 Oct;20(10):1022-1030. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.3930. Epub 2017 Aug 29. PMID: 28850308.

3.Feng J, Li Z, Tian L, Mu P, Hu Y, Xiong F, Ma X. Efficacy and safety of curcuminoids alone in alleviating pain and dysfunction for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2022 Oct 19;22(1):276. doi: 10.1186/s12906-022-03740-9. PMID: 36261810; PMCID: PMC9580113.

4. Ultee A, Kets EP, Smid EJ. Mechanisms of action of carvacrol on the food-borne pathogen Bacillus cereus. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 Oct;65(10):4606-10. doi: 10.1128/AEM.65.10.4606-4610.1999. PMID: 10508096; PMCID: PMC91614.