Why should I add spices to my food?

Spices don't just make your food taste good, they're important for your overall health, too. Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties, while caraway, cumin, and cinnamon play a role in digestion and can help with weight management. Adding different spices to your meals and snacks can help spice things up ... the right way.

Most spices are flavorful and strong in taste and aroma, so a little goes a long way. You want the spices in your food to enhance the dish you are preparing rather than overpowering it.

Adding spices to food is a good idea for many reasons. For starters, spices contribute rich flavor to food without adding any calories, fat, sugar or salt. In addition, research is showing that spices contribute to health just as much as fruits and vegetables, providing anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. While all spices are good, some to focus on that provide great nutrition and rich flavor include: cinnamon, chili peppers, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic and ginger.