Enhance Your Heart Health Easily and Deliciously with This Method
Keeping your heart and arteries in good working order is crucial for maintaining overall health and longevity. Despite advancements in medical treatments, heart disease remains the top cause of death for both men and women, with around 1,700 individuals in the US succumbing to heart-related issues each day – equating to more than one death per minute.
If you wish to enhance your chances of avoiding this prevalent health crisis, researchers have uncovered a simple, convenient, and delicious method to significantly impact your cardiovascular well-being. Surprisingly, this beneficial practice remains largely unknown.
One effortless way to promote heart and artery health is by incorporating herbs and spices into your meals. This small addition can make a substantial difference in reducing the risk of heart disease.
Overview
A study conducted at Penn State reveals that including spices and herbs, which are abundant in antioxidants, in your diet can decrease the post-meal accumulation of unhealthy circulating fats in your bloodstream and support other changes that safeguard your circulatory system.
Following a rich meal, your body produces and releases triglycerides – fats in the blood. However, research from Penn State demonstrates that spices and herbs can reduce this rise by approximately 30%. The spices used in the study include rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, cloves, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper.1
The researchers highlight that among all foods, these spices boast some of the highest levels of antioxidants. Furthermore, their findings indicate that consuming food seasoned with these ingredients enhances antioxidant activity in blood vessels by over ten percent.
They also suggest that the impact of these spices on heart health may rival that of pharmaceutical drugs commonly used to manage or prevent heart disease.
Overview
In addition to improving heart and artery function, studies indicate that spicing up your meals can bolster your immune system's ability to combat infections.
For instance, research from George Mason University reveals that turmeric can help prevent viral illnesses.2
The study at George Mason specifically focused on how curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, can inhibit the virus responsible for Rift Valley Fever, a potentially fatal infection affecting humans and animals in tropical regions.
Researcher Aarthi Narayanan from George Mason, hailing from India where turmeric is a popular spice, emphasizes the potent health benefits of turmeric. She personally attests to its efficacy, incorporating it into her daily diet by adding it to the vegetables she cooks every day.
Overview
Furthermore, some of these spices have been shown to enhance brain function by facilitating the development of stronger neural connections.
A study conducted in Brazil suggests that apigenin, a natural compound present in red pepper, parsley, thyme, and chamomile, may enhance learning capabilities and memory by supporting neuroplasticity – the brain cells' ability to adapt to new experiences by reorganizing synaptic connections between neurons.3
Similarly, research from India supports this notion, indicating that apigenin can boost memory by promoting the release of neurotrophic factors in the brain.4
What is truly remarkable about these findings is how a simple, natural addition to your diet – incorporating spices and herbs – can yield significant health benefits, impacting the body holistically and enhancing health in various ways.
These are the kinds of benefits that conventional medical treatments often struggle to replicate.