Spicy Herbs
Spicy herbs can help improve your circulation, lower blood pressure, stimulate digestion, and help fight infections with pungent herbs. Spices like cayenne, ginger, garlic, horseradish, and black pepper add pungent flavors to the foods people eat every day. As a celebrity chef Emeril Lagasee would often say, they “kick it up a notch,” due to their exciting action on our taste buds.
It’s no surprise these spices are called hot, because they have a warming, and have a stimulant effect. What may be surprising is that they also have a cooling effect because they stimulate perspiration. In fact, if you look at where spicy cuisines like Mexican, Indian, and Cajun come from, you’ll find that they are all warm, not cold climates.
There are many benefits to adding these spices to your diet or using them as supplements. They are especially helpful for promoting healthy circulation, digestive function, and fighting off acute viral ailments. We will explore more about their healthy benefits and what makes a plant spicy in this month’s Sunshine Sharing. If you are interested in any of the herbs mentioned in this article, you can shop NSP!
More Herbal Categories
Herbs can offer many benefits when added to your cooking, taking advantage of their aromatic qualities as essential oils, or taking as a supplement. Herbs are
often categorized or described as follows:
- Aromatic
- Bitters
- Salty
- Astringent
- Sour
- Acrid
- Mucilant
- Sweet
- Oily
Below are some characteristics or bodily influences herbs can offer:
- Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, Anti-Microbial, Anti-viral, Anti-parasitic
- Analgesic – pain relieving
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-spasmodic – cramps and spasms
- Astringent – toning, reducing swelling and tightening
- Bitter – promotes / stimulates digestion
- Detoxifying – stimulating to the liver to cleanse
- Digestive Aid – bloating, gas, appetite
- Diaphoretic – promoting perspiration and urination
- Nervine – promoting balance to calm or stimulate
- Sedative – calming and relaxing effects
- Tonic – promoting overall wellness
When looking at their categories and characteristics you can see how they are sometimes used. You can also view more information from Steven Horne on Categorizing Herbs!
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