DeepSummary
The episode features a discussion with molecular biologist Kanchan Khoyer and Dr. Sarah Berry about the health benefits of spices. Khoyer explains that spices are rich in polyphenols, which are compounds that protect plants but also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the human body. Some spices like cinnamon have been shown to help control blood sugar levels, while others like ginger can aid digestion and reduce nausea.
Khoyer provides practical tips on incorporating spices into everyday meals, suggesting adding them to dishes like avocado toast, yogurt snacks, and popcorn. She emphasizes the importance of crushing spices to release their flavors and compounds, and cooking certain spices to enhance their bioavailability. She also recommends using spice blends for a synergistic effect.
The guests discuss the potential of spices to reduce harmful compounds formed during grilling and the role of the gut microbiome in activating spice compounds. Khoyer shares a recipe for a show-stopping tandoori cauliflower dish and encourages listeners to spice up their meals for both flavor and health benefits.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Spices are rich in polyphenols, which are compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the human body.
- Certain spices like cinnamon and ginger have been shown to have specific health benefits, such as improving blood sugar control and aiding digestion.
- Crushing and cooking spices can enhance their bioavailability and release their flavors and compounds.
- Combining spices and using spice blends can create a synergistic effect and maximize their health benefits.
- Incorporating spices into everyday meals, snacks, and drinks is an easy way to increase their intake and improve overall health.
- The gut microbiome plays a role in activating and converting spice compounds into their most bioavailable and beneficial forms.
- Spices can be used to reduce harmful compounds formed during grilling and to enhance the flavor and nutrient profile of dishes.
- Spices have been traditionally used for their medicinal properties in ancient systems like Ayurveda, and modern science is catching up to validate some of these benefits.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Polyphenols are essentially a group of naturally occurring compounds that are highly prevalent in the plant kingdom. And for reasons that we'll hopefully discuss, really enriched in herbs and spices, highly concentrated phenols are just a type of chemical structure, and polyphenols just means that a lot of these compounds have multiple phenolic kind of units.“ by Kanchan Khoyer
- “I think blood sugar control is a great one to look at, because since the last time I was on the Zoe podcast, there has actually been a randomized control trial in humans, which, unfortunately, in the spice world, are pretty rare. I guess there just aren't the right incentives to spend all this money to show that, like, cinnamon or cumin can have a benefit, because there's not so much patentability around these spices.“ by Kanchan Khoyer
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Episode Information
ZOE Science & Nutrition
ZOE
5/2/24
In today’s episode we’re uncovering the medicines hiding in your kitchen.
Molecular biologist Kanchan Koya joins Jonathan and Sarah to explore the incredible health benefits of spices. From controlling blood sugar to soothing a sore throat, we’ll discover what the latest research says about household favorites including ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Kanchan Koya is a food scientist, founder of the spice-centric food blog Chief Spice Mama and author of the cookbook ‘100 Recipes with Healing Spices for Your Family Table’. She will show us how to get the most out of spices, with simple cooking tips and delicious recipes.
Want to make Kanchan’s show stopper spice dish? Find the recipe here.
Follow Kanchan on Instagram.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:26 Quickfire questions
03:08 What are spices?
03:43 Polyphenols in spices
07:25 Spices and your health
11:01 Cinnamon and blood sugar control
14:49 Anti-inflammatory benefits of spices
21:08 A practical guide to using spices
31:40 Reviving old spices
33:11 The wonders of ginger: from morning sickness to gut health
35:56 Spiced cooking tips
37:41 Breakfast ideas: add spices to start your day
39:44 Simple spicy snacks
42:05 Dinner delights: spicing up main meals
44:11 Spices for kids
46:24 Spiced drinks: from chai to golden milk
48:24 The ultimate spice dish
Studies related to today’s episode:
- Safety and efficacy of curcumin versus diclofenac in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized open-label parallel-arm study published in Trials
- Analgesic effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove, published in Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine
- Effect of cinnamon spice on continuously monitored glycemic response in adults with prediabetes published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Star anise (Illicium verum): Chemical compounds, antiviral properties, and clinical relevance published in Phytotherapy Research
- Ginger-Mechanism of action in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, published by Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
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Episode transcripts are available here.