Sugar and Spice

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

With all of the health benefits of spices being reported in the news, I have spent extra time in the spice section at the grocery store lately.  One spice that is great for this time of year is cinnamon.  Just a half teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar.  The scent of cinnamon can even boost memory and cognitive function.  In some studies, cinnamon reduced the growth of lymphoma and leukemia cancer cells.

(Image: Taste of Home)

To spice things up, cayenne pepper is one of my absolute favorite spices to use.  I sprinkle it on turkey, shake it over macaroni and cheese, and blanket mashed potatoes with it.  Cayenne pepper is said to speed your metabolism, and may help clean the arteries and stabilize blood pressure.  It is also rumored that a teaspoon of cayenne in water can help stop a heart attack.

(Image: All Natural Dieting)

I am not a health professional, so I don’t uphold any of the powers of herbs and spices to be 100% true, however, I do believe that herbs and spices hold many benefits, add flavor, and don’t add many calories- so why not use them liberally?

In place of sugar, I have started to use Agave Nectar in my coffee and tea.  Not only does it taste better, but I use less of it and don’t have a sugar crash later in the day.  Agave nectar is a natural sweetener that tastes similar to honey.  You can also use it in place of syrup on pancakes or waffles, but I am very loyal to maple syrup.

(Image: Labrada)

You can get some great spices at any grocery store, but in Virginia, we also have many specialty stores where you can get a greater selection of spices, sauces, and salsas that have health benefits.  At The Chile Man in Loudoun County, sauces are bottled from over 70 varieties of naturally home grown peppers.  A habanero salsa looks to be right up my alley.

(Image: The Chile Man)

Spice and Tea Exchange in Alexandria is a great place to pick up everything from gourmet sugars to Vietnamese Cinnamon.  Penzys Spices in Falls Church has over 250 spices and you should be able to find any spice you are looking for there.  A long list of herb and spice stores make their home in Northern Virginia.  When you are making your apple pie this fall, go ahead and add that extra teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle your potatoes with cayenne pepper.  The flavor will improve, and so will your health.

-Liz Stevenson

Tags: Gut Check, Liz Stevenson, Northern Virginia Magazine, Penzys Spices, spice, Spice and Tea Exchange, Sugar, The Chile Man