Herbs and Spices Lower Triglycerides
Spices and herbs are a cornerstone of alternative health fields, especially in India and China, where they’ve been relied upon for their medicinal value for centuries.
Scientific studies in the West now are confirming what those cultures have known for so long.
For example, a recent study from Penn State spoke to herbs and spices value for lowering triglycerides, which some studies claim are more dangerous even than LDL cholesterol.
Triglyceride levels rise after eating a high-fat meal — which can lead to an increase in risk for heart disease.
If a high-antioxidant spice blend is incorporated into the meal, triglyceride levels may be reduced by as much as 30 percent compared to eating an identical meal without the spice blend.
The researchers prepared meals on two separate days for six men between the ages of 30 and 65 who were overweight, but otherwise healthy.
The identical meals consisted of chicken, bread, and a dessert biscuit. But the researchers added two tablespoons of a high-antioxidant culinary spice blend to the test meal.
The spiced meal included garlic powder, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, paprika, turmeric, ginger and black pepper.
The researchers followed the participants for three hours after each meal, drawing blood every 30 minutes.
Antioxidant activity in the blood increased by 13 percent after the men ate the test meal, suggesting that the spices may help prevent cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.