spices for your health

turmeric cuts your risk of diabetes

This exotic spice has a golden-yellow hue and slightly peppery, gingery taste. It’s wildly popular in Asian, Indian and African cuisines and if you’re not already a fan, here’s a great reason to try it: According to researchers at Thailand’s Srinakharinwirot University, adding as little as one teaspoon of turmeric to your daily diet could cut your risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as half! This spice is loaded with curcumin, a potent antioxidant that nourishes the insulin-producing pancreas, say researchers. “Just sneak it into your favorite fish, chicken, beef, vegetable and rice dishes to jazz them up,”

sage strengthens memory

Feeling foggy? A single dose of sage can instantly sharpen your memory skills, helping you recall names, places and other facts more quickly and accurately for at least three hours straight, say researchers at Britain’s University of Northumbria at Newcastle. How? Plant compounds called phenols block the breakdown of acetylcholine -- a brain compound that’s essential for clear-headed thinking and the formation of new memories, the study authors say. Try tossing 1/2 teaspoon of this dried herb into your next meal.

  

saffron fights depression

Three clinical trials at the University of Tehran suggest that eating a daily pinch (less than 1/10 of a teaspoon) of this golden-yellow spice eases depression for 75 percent of women, making it more powerful than many prescription antidepressants. Credit saffron’s crocin, an antioxidant that prods the brain to produce more mood-boosting serotonin. Saffron has a slightly sweet, earthy flavor, and it’s wonderful in seafood, rice, beef and tomato-based dishes.

That pinch will do just fine in this recipe for Pasta with Zucchini and Saffron.