Herbs and Spices, Not Just a Seasoning

Who here loves to cook? I know I do. Who here uses a great abundance of herbs and spices in their cooking? Me again! All of us that love to cook know that herbs and spices are the heart of our cooking, alongside other things. But did you know that our herbs and spices not only taste great, but have nutritional purposes, like most other foods?

A lot of these herbs and spices are great additions to our meals to add flavour, but they also come with extraordinary nutritional extras such as, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, and fibre.

Below are some of my favourite herbs and spices that I use in cooking, alongside their nutritional goodness:

•  BASIL

Basil is a herb that I use in almost all of my meals, especially to mix through an aromatic red sauce. Not only does it smell amazing, but basil has anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants and is jam-packed with nutrients such as Vitamin K, Zinc, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Fibre (1)!

Best paired with: tomatoes, pasta sauce, olive oil, garlic, pesto.

• CUMIN

We have a recipe that we make with our red meat dishes, sweet potato chips with cumin seeds, garlic and salt – and letting you in on a secret, the cumin seeds make the dish! They have a robust flavour and add texture to the chips. Not only that, but has an array of potential health benefits:

• May help with digestion by increasing digestive enzyme activity, and increasing the release of bile from the gut.

• May help with the regulation of blood sugar.

• May have antimicrobial properties (2).

Best paired with: sweet potato, cheese, soups, pasta sauce, curries.

• PARSLEY

One of the most common household favourites, with its strong flavour, you either love it or hate it! Regardless, what you would come to love is the nutrients that it contains: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate, and Iron.

Best paired with: great garnish on any dish!

• CORIANDER

I must say, I wish I loved this herb, but like many I can’t stomach its strong flavour – my partner loves it though! Take a look at its contents: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Fiber, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese (3). Can somebody say nutritional powerhouse?

Best matched with: curries, seafood, eggs, potatoes.

• ROSEMARY

Unlike coriander, I am obsessed with Rosemary – it’s amazing fragrance, taste, and simplistic growth in the garden (if you have your own garden). Within Rosemary lies its compound rosmarinic acid, alongside phenolic acid, diterpenes, and flavonoids. These compounds give Rosemary it’s fantastic anti-inflammatory, cognitive, and antioxidant properties (4).

Best matched with: lamb, roast potatoes, olive oil.

Not only are these herbs and spices nutrient dense, but they are also a healthy low-calorie way to incorporate flavour into your food.

Written by our in-house nutritionist, if you have any further questions regarding this post, please do not hesitate to call or come in-store to visit us.

• Precision Nutrition Network 2020, What’s so healthy about basil?, accessed on 30th August 2020 from <https://www.precisionnutrition.com/healthy-basil#:~:text=Basil%20is%20virtually%20calorie%2Dfree,magnesium%2C%20potassium%20and%20dietary%20fibre.>

• Food Revolution Network 2020, What is cumin, and should you eat it?, accessed on 1st September 2020 from <https://foodrevolution.org/blog/health-benefits-of-cumin/

• Precision Nutrition Network 2020, Cilantro, accessed on 30th August 2020 from <https://www.precisionnutrition.com/encyclopedia/food/cilantro>

• Dr. Joseph Mercola 2020, What is rosemary good for?, accessed on 3rd September 2020 from <https://foodfacts.mercola.com/rosemary.html>