You may have a medicine cabinet in your kitchen that you never knew about. Kitchen herbs and spices are used to enhance the taste of food, but they can also be used to enhance your health. Many herbs can serve as a pain reliever, antibiotic or anti-inflammatory. Even better, these herbs are natural and tend to have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical drugs.
The following is a list of some of the most common herbs found in American kitchens that can help prevent and treat a host of maladies. By the end of this list, you will see that kitchen herbs aren’t just a source for flavor — they’re a source for optimal health.
1. Cayenne
Their are a variety of health benefits attached to cayenne peppers, from killing cancer cells on one end to stopping a heart attack within 30 seconds on the other end. The active ingredient in cayenne peppers is capsaicin, which is a substance that makes the peppers hot and spicy. It can also help improve digestion and blood circulation, soothe arthritis pain and stimulate the benefits of other herbs you are consuming. It is for these and many other reasons that cayenne has been described as a “miracle herb.”
2. Cinnamon
The smell of cinnamon kindles warm, nostalgic memories of baked apple pie from grandma’s kitchen. It turns out cinnamon is just what the doctor and grandma ordered. Just ½ teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol. In addition, cinnamon can help treat type 2 diabetes, decrease the blood’s ability to clot, reduce the propagation of cancer cells and stabilize blood sugar, which is great for weight loss. If you can pinch and inch, try a pinch of cinnamon.