Fall, or the more sophisticated term, Autumn, is my favorite time of the year. It’s filled with cozy cups of pumpkin spice lattes (or apple cider for all my lactose intolerant people), pie of all kinds, knit sweaters, apple picking. Ahh, fall is a Hallmark movie wonderland.
This time of year mainly surrounds food, I mean four out of the five things I mentioned a second ago were foods. Some common fall spices include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg, each with their own benefits. An article by Carly Duffy titled, “Falling for Flavor: Health Benefits of Fall Spices,” tells us all we need to know about these spices.
Cinnamon
Duffy begins with the “king of fall spices” cinnamon. This is a popular topping to sprinkle on a hot chocolate with whipped cream, or a pumpkin pie with ice cream on top. While the health contents of the pie or ice cream are dubious at best, cinnamon has some cool benefits. Duffy writes that it comes from the bark of a tree that contains the essential oils that give it its distinct aroma. This spice supports heart health, and can regulate blood sugar.
Ginger
The next spice mentioned is ginger. According to Duffy, ginger is a flowering plant whose edible roots grow underground. This root can be made into many different forms, whether fresh, dried, pickled, candied or preserved. It has gastrointestinal benefits, easing nausea and indigestion, and improving circulation. I don’t know about you, but I could definitely benefit from two out of three of those (I won’t tell you which ones though).
Cloves
Cloves have the richest spice source of antioxidants, according to Duffy. Their oils have been used for tooth pain, and to promote healthy blood sugar levels. Like cinnamon and ginger, cloves can be sweet or savory. The sweet version (which is my preference) is in a chai spice mix. A savory option is to use a whole clove in a holiday ham or stuffed squash. This can add a warmth and “earthy spice” to a dish.
Cardamom
Cardamom is the next spice. Other than just sounding interesting, it also has some great benefits. Duffy writes that the seed inside cardamom pods, and their essential oils provide a complex flavor that can be used in sweet or savory dishes. It benefits digestion, promotes healthy blood pressure, and even freshens breath (might want to start sprinkling some in your husband’s morning coffee, ladies). A great thing about this spice is that you can use whole cardamom pods, or ground seeds.
Nutmeg
Last, but certainly not least, is nutmeg. Though “nut” is part of the word, this is actually not a nut, but a seed. It’s often used with spices such as cinnamon and cloves, and is full of antioxidants, and helps relieve inflammation. I know a lot of us, myself included, struggle with mental stress. The great thing about nutmeg is that it also helps in relieving this.
“Okay, that sold me,” I hear you saying. “How do I use it?” If you’re more of a sweets person, put together a snack of candied pecans and nutmeg. The warmth in nutmeg pairs great with the pecans. If you prefer savory things, you can add it to cream based sauces such as béchamel.
So, this was a lot of information about a lot of great spices. The great thing about these spices is that apart from them all containing health benefits, they’re all versatile. They can be made sweet or savory, and even combined with one another. At the end of the article, Duffy provides a tasty pumpkin pie spice recipe that I highly recommend checking out.
