5 Spices That Add More Than Flavor to Your Meals

Most of us probably reach for the spice cabinet because dinner needs a little pizazz, not because we're thinking about our immune system.

Still, those little jars can bring more than flavor to the table. Researchers have looked at many of the plant compounds found in spices for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential immune-supporting effects.

While none of them can guarantee we won't catch the next bug making its way around the office, they can add some interesting plant compounds to the foods we're already eating. Here are five that deserve a little more love, plus an easy way to put each one to work in the kitchen.

1. Black Pepper

Black pepper is so familiar, we barely think about it anymore.

Its signature compound is piperine, which gives black pepper its familiar bite, and researchers have looked into its potential benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.

Much of the research into those potential benefits is still developing, so we're not suggesting you start treating the pepper grinder like medicine.

We can, however, give it a starring role at dinner with a simple peppercorn steak.

Ingredients:

• 1 steak

• Salt to taste

• 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

• Season the steak with salt and press the cracked black pepper into both sides.

• Cook it in a hot skillet to your preferred doneness, then remove it from the pan.

• Lower the heat, add the butter and cream, and stir until the sauce thickens slightly.

• Spoon the peppercorn sauce over the steak and serve.

How’s that for delicious? 

2. Cloves

Cloves spend a lot of the year waiting for fall to begin.

But, one of their main plant compounds is eugenol, and research suggests it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may play a role in the body's inflammatory response.

While there's more to learn about what those findings mean for our health, whole cloves can make a pretty cozy cup of tea.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 whole cloves

• 1 cup hot water

• 1 lemon wedge

• Honey to taste

Instructions:

• Steep the whole cloves in hot water for about 10 minutes.

• Strain out the cloves.

• Add a squeeze of lemon and honey to taste.

• Give everything a stir and enjoy while it's warm.

The jar doesn't have to wait for pumpkin season.

3. Black Cumin

Black cumin may be less familiar in American kitchens, and, despite the name, it isn't a darker version of regular cumin. Also known as black seed or Nigella sativa, it's a different spice that people have been cooking with for centuries. 

It also contains a plant compound called thymoquinone. Researchers have studied thymoquinone for its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

This spice has some interesting human research behind it, too. In 20 clinical trials involving more than 1,000 participants, black cumin had beneficial effects on markers related to inflammation and oxidative stress.

Of course, taking a supplement isn't the same thing as sprinkling black cumin over dinner. Roasted vegetables give us an easy place to start, though.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped carrots

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.

• Toss the carrots with the olive oil, black cumin seeds, and salt.

• Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer.

• Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and beginning to brown.

The black cumin will give them a nice peppery, earthy kick without asking us to reinvent dinner.

4. Cardamom

Cardamom brings a warm, slightly sweet flavor to everything from coffee and tea, to baked goods and savory dishes. It’s also caught researchers' attention for its potential effects on inflammation.

When researchers combined the results of randomized clinical trials, they found that cardamom consumption was associated with reductions in inflammatory markers. The number of available studies was limited, though, so there's still a lot to learn.

Luckily, we don't need to wait for scientists to finish studying cardamom before we can enjoy it in the kitchen. It can even rescue an ordinary bowl of oatmeal from being quite so ordinary.

Ingredients:

• 1 serving cooked oatmeal

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• A pinch of cinnamon

• 1/2 banana, sliced

• Honey to taste

Instructions:

• Stir the cardamom and cinnamon into the warm oatmeal.

• Top with the sliced banana.

• Drizzle with a little honey to taste.

Now, Tuesday morning oatmeal has a little more going for it.

5. Cumin

Cumin has been doing plenty of work in tacos, chili, curries, and bean dishes without demanding much attention for itself. The spice has several bioactive plant compounds, including flavonoids and terpenoids.

And research has suggested some of those compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Still, we need better human research before we can say much more than that. In the kitchen, though, we already know cumin and roasted vegetables get along well.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.

• Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.

• Spread the florets on a baking sheet in a single layer.

• Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and browned around the edges.

So, when you're tired of black cumin, you can always switch things up with its more familiar, not-really-related cousin.

Keep the Spice Cabinet in Perspective

Your immune system needs much more than a generous shake of cumin. Eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, staying active, and keeping up with preventive care can never be replaced by anything in the spice rack.

But healthy eating doesn't have to be bland. Spices can make everyday foods taste better while adding plant compounds that researchers are still learning more about. That's a pretty nice bonus for something you were going to sprinkle over dinner anyway.

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