The world of spices is enshrouded in a magic atmosphere: their colours and flavors carry you in remote and exotic places, between multicoloured bazars and oriental sounds. The spices are the substances extracted from some variety of tropical aromatic trees, from which are used the barks, the stigma and the seeds. Many times the spices are confused with the aromatic herbs that are the vegetables (leaves or stalks) cultivated in the garden, but also present in wild nature as: basil, coriander, tarragon, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.

In the past, when the salt was a very precious good, the aromatic herbs and the spices were very important ingredients in the cooking, but today that the salt is abundantly present in all kitchens, these flavors have lost their central role. Unfortunately this is a serious alimentary mistake because the spices color and flavor all dishes, and allow to reduce the salt that is bad for the health.

The spices are also used in the natural medicine because they are very rich in active principles, nutrients and medicinal properties. Discover the properties of some spices:

- the anise has digestive and balsamic action, aids to depurate the organism and to face the intestinal gas, the rheumatisms and the articular inflammation

- the cinnamon has detoxificant and antibacterial properties, it’s good against colds and rheumatic diseases;

- the cloves are analgesic for the bellyache;

- the cumin is rich in antioxidants and for this it has an antiage action, in addition it alleviates the intestinal diseases and the cramps, finally it faces aerophagia and meteorism.

- the ginger has anti-inflammatory, energetic and revitalizing properties, it is also used to depurate the organism from the toxins and to face the rheumatic diseases and the nausea;

- the pepper, thanks to its piperine content, aids to burn fats and facilitates the production of gastric juices;

- the saffron stimulates the immune system, is beneficial for the heart, for the arteries and for the breathing apparatus; in addition it protects the liver, aids the digestion and alleviates the toothache. The saffron has beneficial effects also for your mind, in fact, it aids to increase the concentration and to appease the depression.

The spices have really a lot of beneficial effects and for this it is very important to learn how to color your life and your dishes with these little treasures.

Published 30 September 2016