Benefits of Holiday Herbs and Spices

During the holidays, the last thing many people are is healthy. Holiday food just doesn’t care about diets, portion sizes, or having “just one bite” of dessert. It’s easy to focus on the negatives of holiday eating – now is the time to change that way of thinking! The truth is, many herbs and spices commonly used in holiday cooking are actually good for you, with health benefits you might have been unaware of. Not only are they usually packed with vitamins and antioxidants, they have a long list of other health and wellness boosting properties!

With all the stress you already have to deal with, you can rest easy this holiday season (and year-round) when it comes to these holiday spices:

Cinnamon

You will have a hard time avoiding cinnamon once the holidays roll around. This simple spice is an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-tumor – and it can help lower blood sugar.

Cloves

One of the stronger spices, cloves can be used as an anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, insect repellent, yeast control (candida), and nausea control.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is often found following cinnamon’s footsteps, although in much smaller quantities. Nutmeg, like cloves, is a strong spice that can be used for it’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, pain relief, improved digestion, and as an anticarcinogenic.

Rosemary

Rosemary is an herb that is a common presence on the holiday table. It can enhance your mood, clear your skin, treat and prevent baldness, relieve nausea, and even control cancer cell growth.

Sage

Sage has been used as a healing herb for thousands of years; it is high in vitamins and antioxidants, and can help lower cholesterol, improve memory, and reduce menopausal symptoms.

Thyme

Thyme is a powerhouse herb that can be used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, disinfectant, and heavy metal remover.