Oct
Cooking With Spices
Although spices have been part of the human diet for millions of years, recent research has discovered that they can also benefit health. Spices, which are made from buds, bark, fruits, roots, or seeds of plants, can keep their active ingredients for months or even years. They contain phytochemicals which are referred to as phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are compounds in plant-derived foods that are biologically active in the body. They are not a necessity for normal metabolism and do not result in a deficiency disease if they are missing. Although current research is investigating phytochemicals’ effects on degenerative disease states, these compounds do help with the struggle against obesity by activating the body’s natural cooling system, which in turn increases metabolism and stimulates perspiration.