Did you know that some seasonings are good for your brain? Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and other spices contain nutrients that increase our memory, relieve stress levels, improve our sleep, and so much more. These seasonings can be enjoyed by immersing them into our food, like baked goods, soups, salad seasonings, and other dishes.
Key Takeaways:
- The bark of a tree native to Southeast Asia, cinnamon has been shown to have antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antibacterial properties.
- Nutmeg grows on a type of evergreen indigenous to Indonesia. The spice contains various compounds that boost mood, help relieve pain, and relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
- Made from the dried flower buds of the evergreen clove tree, cloves are also native to Indonesia. The spice is loaded with antioxidant power. Research comparing clove with more than 1,100 other foods found that it had three times the antioxidants of the next highest source, dried oregano.
“Researchers have discovered that cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices that we mix into baked goods and savory dishes contain nutrients that sharpen memory, reduce stress, or improve sleep.”