Next time you cozy up with a hot mug of something special, consider tossing in a spice that's bursting with antioxidants: cloves.
It makes mulled cider taste amazing. And it dresses up hot coffee drinks nicely, too. And in a study, cloves bested rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano when it came to phenolic content and antioxidant activity.
Powerful, spicy protection
Phenolic content and antioxidant activity are two qualities you definitely want in a spice. They help to quell lipid peroxidation—a damaging process that leads to all sorts of bad things. In food, it causes decay. In your body, it can trigger the type of inflammation that damages cells and opens the door to a bevy of inflammation-loving diseases, like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
