More Herbs and Spices From Traditional Medicine - Cloves, Cinnamon and Chicory Health Benefits

Last time we considered possible health benefits and studies related to turmeric and fenugreek. Now we can look at a few more herbs and spices for which health benefits have been claimed, and which have been used in traditional medicine for long periods. All should be familiar names to you:

1. Chicory

Chicory has been used for at least 2000 years in various dishes, and was especially popular in Roman cuisine. It is also quite popular now as a coffee substitute. as well as for its traditional culinary uses. As far as health benefits of chicory, it has been used for dyspepsia, as a tonic, and is a good source of vitamin A.

2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is perhaps one of the best known spices. It has been used for so long in Western kitchens, especially for cakes, that it has been largely forgotten that cinnamon is another exotic spice, brought to Europe long ago by venetian traders. Cinnamon has certainly been used for 4000 years, and has been much prized as an aromatic spice all that time. It also has some medicinal uses.

Cinnamon has long since been used to help fend off cold symptoms, but has also been used for diarrhea, and is rich in antioxidants, so definitely a useful spice to aid to your health food armory.

3 Cloves

Cloves, like cinnamon, have a strong aroma and and popular place in even Western kitchens, from being an ingredient in curry power to being mixed with fruits in desserts. Cloves also have some medicinal properties, particularly in warming and aiding the digestive system. Cloves should be used sparingly in cooking as they are very strong, and only very small amounts of its essential oil are needed for therapeutic purposes.