7 Spices With Surprising Health Benefits

If you want to spice up your life, add some root, bark and plant derivatives to your diet. Herbs and spices add some pep to any meal, and many come with proven heart healthy benefits and can even ease pain, including post-workout soreness. Herbs and spices also have antibacterial and antiviral properties, and most are high in B-vitamins and trace minerals. In fact, most contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than some fruits and vegetables. Herbs and spices are also an inexpensive way to add flavor to food without the extra fat, calories, sodium or cholesterol.

Incorporating herbs and spices into the diet has immeasurable benefits, according to Len Glassman, a certified health nutritionist, trainer and owner of the Personal Best Training Center, but unfortunately most are never used. “Most potent and healthy herbs are rarely used, mainly from lack of knowledge about them,” says Glassman, “while the least potent (salt and pepper) are the most commonly used seasonings.” Glassman breaks down the best plant-derived wonders, root by seed by bark. Spice up your diet and reap the health benefits.