Healthy spices not only help to make your food taste and look better, they can help towards improving your general well-being. For many hundreds of years spices have been utilised for their medicinal properties and can support you in living with some types medical of conditions. You can purchase them as a tea, or a powder that can be incorporated into your cooking.

Spices are usually provided in powder or seed form for adding to your cooking. They are readily available from the supermarket shelf, health food stores and other types retail outlets. Spices and herbs are often combined to achieve a specific taste experience. Recommendations are to add towards the end of the cooking process to maintain the flavor.

Cardamom is a spice sourced from India. It is an aromatic seed that is used to flavor sweets, vegetables, rice and curry dishes. The seeds can be crushed, mixed in water with a little ginger root and brought to a simmer with a little milk and honey. This is known to be effective in relieving indigestion and flatulence.

Indian and Asian cooking frequently contains ginger to enhance the flavor of the food. Ginger which has quite a distinct flavor and smell is also used in baking products. Often digestive problems can be calmed by chewing a small bit of ginger root. Alternatively, it can be steeped in hot water and taken as a hot tea drink to ensure you get the full benefits of the antioxidant properties.

Cinnamon is a popular spice because of its warm flavor and distinctive smell. Produced from the inside bark of tropical trees, it is used for making sweet and savoury dishes. It is also commonly used to improve the taste of toothpastes, mouth washes and gum. The compounds contained in cinnamon provide a sedative effect and help to reduce pain. It is also known to have a beneficial effect on circulation, and helps to thin the blood.

Cloves are from the evergreen tree. They can be used as a spice for pickling, but are also used for poaching fruit and producing mulled wine. This spice has antiseptic properties and contains eugenol which has anti-inflammatory properties. It is a well known toothache remedy and can be used to ease the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. A warming tea can be prepared by adding a teaspoon of cloves to a cup of boiling water and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes, before drinking.

A spice which is rich in iron and manganese is cumin. You can add this to stews, breads and many other Asian and Middle Eastern dishes. To use as a remedy for digestive upset and bloating, you need to mix a teaspoon of the seeds to a pint of boiling water and allow to settle before drinking.

The packaging or jars of spices, usually contain information on the label about the types of use, quantities and the properties and benefits of healthy spices. The ones mentioned here are only a few of the many spices that can be used in the preparation of herbal and natural remedies. They are the ones you are likely to have in your store-cupboard if you enjoy cooking international dishes.