Dear beautiful ladies!
With Easter around the corner and spring in full bloom, I want to take this opportunity to talk about the benefits of incorporating spices and aromatics into your cooking routine. Plus, with the warmer weather and longer days, now is the perfect time to start growing your own herbs and spices in your garden or on your balcony, so you can enjoy fresh, flavorful ingredients all season long.
By using aromatic spices in cooking, not only do they add flavor and depth to your meals, but many of these ingredients also offer powerful anti-cancer benefits* that are especially important for women in menopause. We can also reduce the salt and fat intake in our dishes without sacrificing flavor.
The habit of using spices daily is my secret to changing the character of a dish from average to sophisticated. This is the beauty of being creative. Let’s dive in:
AROMATICS: THE SCENTSATIONAL WAY TO KEEP CANCER AT BAY
Know Your Botanical Families: Lamiaceae vs. Apiaceae
LAMIACEAE
• Peppermint
• Thyme
• Marjoram
• Oregano
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Laurel
They are frequently used in Mediterranean cuisine and have a distinctive aroma due to their high content of terpenes, which have anti-cancer properties, being able to block the proliferation of cancer cells. They also contain ursolic acid, which attacks cancer from multiple fronts.
APIACEAE
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Cumin
• Celery
They are very common in Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. In Indian cooking, it is common to use various spices from this family, such as turmeric, cayenne, coriander, cumin, and parsley on a consistent basis, resulting in a potent anti-cancer cocktail.
Celery and parsley contain apigenin, a very powerful polyphenol in the fight against cancer. Apigenin can induce programmed cell death and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the lung, breast, colon, leukemia, and prostate, as well as inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels and reducing inflammation caused by the tumor.
Spices such as chili, cayenne, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon also have significant anticancer activity, especially the capsaicin present in chili and cayenne.
Spices and aromatic herbs are among the foods with the greatest antioxidant power, highlighting spices such as cloves, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric.
“Spices are like fairy dust for food – they magically transform ordinary dishes into extraordinary feasts!”
Giada De Laurentiis
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC IN YOUR KITCHEN!
Oops, I know what you’re thinking: ‘Wow, this woman uses so many spices, what am I going to do with all of them?’ Don’t worry, I’ve got some tips on how to use them!
Do you want to evoke One Thousand and One Nights or think of oriental dishes? Have fun with cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, Ras El Hanout…add parsley, peppermint leaves, lemon juice…
Did you reminisce about your last trip to Thailand? Be daring with turmeric, ginger, green curry, red curry, Thai curry powder…
Want to bring back memories of Bali? Try turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, bay leaves, or lime leaves. You can get the typical spice blend, called Bumbu Bali, which contains a blend of shallots, ginger, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, chili paste, candlenuts, shrimp paste.
Have you fallen in love with India? Look no further! Turmeric, curry, saffron, chili, coriander, cardamom…the possibilities are almost endless… Alternatively, you can purchase the spice blend Garam Masala, which contains several ingredients categorized as anticancer, such as cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and cumin.
Craving for Chinese cuisine? Chinese Five-Spice powder will be your ally (a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds) as well as ginger, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce.
Want to add some French sophistication to your dish? Try tarragon or Herbes de Provence (a blend of herbs typically including thyme, rosemary, basil, savory, marjoram, and oregano), nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and don’t forget the mustard!
Dreaming of the beaches in Yucatan? Viva Mexico! Don’t forget cumin, chili, cayenne, oregano, paprika, or cinnamon.
Mediterranean at heart? Thyme, parsley, oregano, bay leaves, smoked paprika, saffron, rosemary, garlic…
Love the delicacy and subtleness of Japanese cuisine? Perfect! You can have your instant miso soup ready to turn into a delicious and healthy ramen broth; and of course, don’t miss green onions (scallions), ginger, garlic, wasabi, soy sauce, yuzo (citrus)…
Or maybe you’re crazy about Italian cuisine? Nothing beats fresh basil leaves – whether in salads, roasted vegetables, pasta…and of course, the same spices we use in the Mediterranean – thyme, oregano, bay leaves…
Be careful with hot spices like cayenne or chili, as they can increase hot flashes during menopause.
Take care
Tara
