Spices have been used since ancient times to boost the taste of food. But new evidence is suggesting they may also boost your health. Check out this list of five spices, and what they can do to improve your health:
Turmeric - a powerful antioxidant; preliminary studies suggest it may help prevent or even treat Alzheimer’s disease. Also, it enhances immune function, improves digestion, may reduce your risk of heart attack and may be a possible treatment for cystic fibrosis.
Ginger - Prevents the symptoms of motion sickness. May also help reduce pain and improve function in people who have arthritis.
Rosemary - Anti-inflammatory effect, which may improve immune function and circulation, and reduce the severity of asthma attacks.
Coriander - Rich in protective phytochemicals and is a good source of iron, magnesium and manganese.
Cinnamon - Reduces inflammation, and may be especially good for people with type 2 diabetes.
You hear a lot about superfoods, but mainly how great they are to have in your diet. Here’s another list of foods you should consider throwing in your grocery basket:
Beets - Why they’re healthy: Folate and betaine (which can help lower your risk of heart disease), and their pigments may help fight cancer.
How to eat them: Not from a jar, but fresh and uncooked.
Cabbage - Why it’s healthy: Few calories, and sulforaphane helps reduce cancer risk.
How to eat it: In a salad, or on a burger.
Guava - Why it’s healthy: Fiber, potassium, lycopene (which helps fight prostate cancer).
How to eat it: It’s all edible, from rind to seeds. May be a little hard to find, but high end supermarkets or Latin grocery stores should stock it.
Swiss Chard - Why it’s healthy: Lutein and zeaxanthin (which both help protect retinas from the damages of aging).
How to eat it: Sautéd with olive oil and garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper and served with grilled steaks and chicken, or pan-seared fish.Cinnamon - Why it’s healthy: Helps control blood sugar, which affects your risk of heart disease.
How to eat it: Sprinkled on coffee or oatmeal.
Purslane - Why it’s healthy: Melatonin (may inhibit cancer growth), omega-3 fats.
How to eat it: In a salad as an alternative or addition to lettuce.
Pomegranate juice - Why it’s healthy: Improves bloodflow to the heart, decreases systolic blood pressure, vitamin C.
How to eat it: POM Wonderful makes a 100 per cent pomegranate juice with no added sugars - a small glass is all you need to get the many benefits.
Goji berries - Why they’re healthy: Antioxidants, may reduce insulin resistance (a risk factor for diabetes).
How to eat them: Dried or fresh, alone or in yogurt, oatmeal or on cereal.Dried plums - Why they’re healthy: Antioxidants that fight structural damage to cells, which is thought to be one of the main causes for cancer.
How to eat them: As an appetizer wrapped in prosciutto.
Pumpkin seeds - Why they’re healthy: Magnesium.
How to eat them: Shells and all.
LYNNFIELD, Mass., Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ — Each year, when the holiday season rolls around, so too do a multitude of varied holiday traditions. Different families, in different parts of the country, have different rituals. One holiday tradition that has remained constant throughout the years, however, is the serving of eggnog.
For centuries, hospitable hosts all over the world have been sharing this rich and creamy beverage with their lucky guests to spice up the merry atmosphere. What started in England as a drink enjoyed primarily by the upper class is now available to all-and in a variety of flavors.
HP Hood, a New England-based dairy company that first introduced eggnog in 1953, has added Gingerbread- and Sugar Cookie-flavored EggNogs to its existing line just in time to jazz up the holiday season.
Hood now offers seven varieties of its holiday staple: Cinnamon, Pumpkin, Golden, Vanilla and Light, in addition to Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie.
“For years, customers have been telling us that, not only do they like to drink eggnog, they like to cook with it too. We’ve heard over and over again that it’s an excellent substitute for milk or cream when you’re looking for a richer, creamier taste,” said Lynne Bohan, Vice President, Public Relations and Government Affairs. “Like the Cinnamon and Pumpkin flavors we unveiled last holiday season, our new Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie EggNogs aren’t just good for drinking but also for making that extra-special holiday dish.”
“We have responded with four delicious flavors of Hood EggNog, which can be enjoyed alone or as an ingredient in that extra-special holiday dish.”
The limited-edition flavors were developed using a proprietary recipe that blends extra-creamy milk with sugared egg yolks, cane sugar and a combination of nutmeg and rum flavoring. Because they can be frozen for up to six months, Hood’s EggNog products can be enjoyed right through to early summer.
To help inspire consumers this holiday season — and beyond — Hood has developed a series of tried-and-true recipes featuring its new EggNog flavors.
— Looking for that perfect Christmas-morning meal to serve your family?
Try the gingerbread pancakes.
— Instead of making sugar cookies, experiment with sugar cookie creme
brulee.
— Forget about fruitcake; opt for gingerbread spice cake instead.
— Bored with bread pudding? Test out the chocolate gingerbread pudding.
— Bring eggnog back to its roots with the EggNog English Trifle.
To view these recipes — and more — in their entirety, and for more information on Hood products and availability, please visit www.hood.com/kitchen.
If you have a homegrown Hood EggNog recipe you think is worthy of merit, be sure to enter it into the company’s third annual Holiday Recipe Contest. The winning entry will receive a grand prize of a weekend getaway at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt. The official Hood Holiday Recipe Contest Online Entry Form will be available at www.hood.com in early November.
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