With the Christmas season over, so goes the clove, cinnamon,
nutmeg, and allspice.
But new research
from Penn State might convince you to expand your spice cabinet arsenal.
Heavily spiced meals (akin to Indian cuisine) that have been
laced with turmeric (think curries) or seasonal desserts (cinnamon in apple
pie, pumpkin pie, etc.) have been shown to benefit the heart.
Cinnamon has been studied because of its promising effects
on blood glucose control in diabetics.
However, Penn State researcher, Sheila West, found that a spicy meal can
decrease triglycerides by roughly one-third versus participants who consumed a
similar meal sans spice.
Spices used in the study were: turmeric, garlic, oregano,
paprika, rosemary, and ginger. The next
phase of the study will look at what amounts or concentrations of spices are
most beneficial.
At this time there is no clear connection about the long-term
effects of heavily spiced meals with prevention or reduction of heart disease
or decreases of Ha1c in persons with diabetes.
