Not only are spices affordable, accessible and easy to store, they also have health benefits in addition to enhancing the taste of whatever you are making. Spices have been cherished for thousands of years and have even been used as a form of currency.
Cassia, similar to cinnamon, was mentioned in a Chinese herb manual purported to have been written in 2700 BC. In 1555 BC, Papyri from Ancient Egypt classified coriander, fennel, juniper, cumin, garlic and thyme as health-promoting spices. Pepper was so valuable that peppercorns were used to pay rent throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.
Needless to say, the history of spices runs deep and their health benefits have been recognized for thousands of years. There is now ample evidence that spices and herbs have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, anticarcinogenic, and glucose and cholesterol-lowering activities in addition to properties that affect cognition and mood.
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