What do gingerbread, eggnog, and peppermint have in common? They are all flavors of the holiday season along with cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom and vanilla. While spices add flavor to your holiday dishes, desserts, and mulled wine, they also can contribute to your health if you choose them wisely.

Before cooking, take a look at the expiration dates on the spices in your pantry. If you have ground spices, they typically lose freshness after six months. If you open the jar and take a sniff… and smell nothing or a dull-earthy scent… it’s probably time to replace them. Whole unground spices like peppercorns can typically be kept for up to 5 years.

When purchasing new spices, always choose organic or biodynamic. Conventional spices are typically grown with pesticides and chemicals…which eventually end up in the bottle and in your body. Organically grown herbs and spices are not irradiated or fumigated and are grown without harmful pesticides. They are also non-GMO, and by law cannot contain preservatives, anti-caking agents or other chemicals. So you get more flavor in your food and more healthy nutrients in your body.

Let’s look at of the health benefits of ten common holiday spices. This week, we will examine the first five:

Allspice

Despite its name, allspice is not a blend of spices; it is actually a berry of the Pimenta dioica tree that grows in Central America. Its flavor is warming, and somewhat similar to a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. You might use allspice in apple pie, mincemeat, mulled wine, spiced apple cider, pumpkin desserts and breads, and Jamaican jerk seasoning. Allspice berries can be purchased whole or ground; we recommend purchasing whole and grinding as needed.

The aromatic and active components of allspice include eugenol (typically found in clove), cineole (also found in rosemary, sage, and mint), caryophyllene (also found in black pepper, cloves and cinnamon), quercetin, gallic acid and ericifolin. These compounds have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and possibly anti-cancer properties. Allspice also contains Vitamin B5, manganese, calcium, iron, and copper.

Anise

Anise (aniseed) is the seed of the plant Pimpinella anisum which is cultivated in Europe and the Middle East. It has a distinct mild licorice flavor. Although star anise has a similar name, it is a completely different plant than anise. Fennel is more closely related to anise, as both are in the same family. All three plants contain  anethole, the flavor-producing compound.

Anise can also be used to flavor meats and sausages, or in tea. Cookies made with the spice are a holiday staple in some families, and Italian pizelles also contain anise.

Anethole has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and may fight stomach ulcers. At high doses, it may help moderate blood sugar levels and reduce symptoms of menopause and depression. Anise also contains vitamins A and C, as well as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc.

Cardamom

Cardamom, originally from India, comes from the seeds of several plants in the ginger family. Cardamom pods differ in size and color, depending on the species, but all contain tiny black seeds. Pods themselves can be used whole or ground. Green cardamom is the variety most often found at the grocery store and works well in both sweet and savory dishes.  Cardamom has been used in German holiday plaetzchen cookies since the Middle Ages. The spice pairs well with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a variety of other holiday recipes. Add it to mulled wine or hot cider for an unexpected twist.

Cardamom has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, and may also help fight cancer cells, improve stomach ulcers, and may help with breathing and oxygen use. Cardamom also contains potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of trees in the Cinnamomum family and has been used as a spice and medicinal agent since 2000 BC. The bark is sold both in rolled form and as a ground powder. Interestingly, there are two main varieties of cinnamon – cassia and Ceylon – with distinct flavors and distinct nutritional profiles.

Ceylon cinnamon (“true” cinnamon) originates from Sri Lanka, has a mild cinnamon flavor, and is a little sweet. Cassia cinnamon, from southern China, is a bit “spicier” in flavor. Because cassia cinnamon is significantly less expensive, it is the type most often used to flavor foods in the US.  If you see a bottle labeled “cinnamon,” it’s most likely the cassia variety. Ceylon cinnamon is clearly marked as such and is often double the price.

Health benefits of both types of cinnamon are similar, but there is one major difference: cassia cinnamon contains much higher levels (1%) of the compound coumarin, which is only found in trace amounts (0.04%) in Ceylon cinnamon. Coumarin can affect blood clotting and be toxic to the liver in large amounts. This is the main reason we recommend using only organic/ biodynamic Ceylon cinnamon.

Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties, supports healthy blood sugar levels, supports healthy cholesterol, and protects the brain. Ceylon cinnamon contains vitamins A, and K, as well as potassium, zinc, and magnesium.

Clove

Did you know that clove isn’t a bark or root or even a seed… it’s actually a dried flower bud? Clove comes from a tropical evergreen tree (Syzygium aromaticum) from the Moluccas (Spice Islands) of Indonesia. Buds are harvested twice a year and dried in the sun.

Clove is a mainstay flavor of holiday cooking, and features prominently in mincemeat, mulled wine and cider, pumpkin based desserts, and more. The main flavor component of clove is eugenol, which was historically used as an anesthetic in dental practice and has antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activity. Cloves also contain manganese and Vitamin K.

Join us next week for Part 2, and five more holiday spices!