Aside from improving the taste of my chicken and vegetables, do spices have any nutritional value?

July 18th, 2010
By Paul Cribb Ph.D. CSCS.
Filed Under: Questions & Answers

The herb sage has the capacity to improve memory. Some studies show that other popular spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and turmeric all show the ability to improve insulin function within the body by helping to prevent insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a condition where tissues such as muscle become “desensitized” to insulin. Insulin is a key hormone that facilitates nutrient transportation into cells. Insulin resistance is not a desirable condition as it is one step before adult onset diabetes. Insulin resistance is basically caused by high sugar and junk food diets that force the body to secrete way too much insulin to transport nutrients into cells. Keeping insulin function working optimally will lead to a bigger, leaner physique. Therefore bodybuilders should do everything they can to ensure that their internal insulin production runs efficiently, and adding spices to your meals just may help you do this.

Researchers from Pakistan discovered that people who ate one gram (half a teaspoon) of spices each day showed lower blood sugar, triglycerides and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, than those that didn’t*. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and turmeric contain compounds that help cells recognize insulin and help protect against insulin resistance. Therefore, the addition of spices to each meal has the potential to improve insulin function and provide you with a leaner, healthier physique.

*Diabetes Care

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