A Penn State study has found spices such as rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, garlic powder and paprika reduce the body’s negative response to digesting high-fat meals.
The study involved an identical serving of chicken curry, Italian herb bread and cinnamon biscuit being eaten on two separate days by six men aged between 30 and 65 who were overweight but otherwise healthy. The test meals included two tablespoons of culinary spices, the control meal was the same but without the spices and blood was drawn from participants every half-hour for three hours.
As reported in The Journal of Nutrition, researchers found antioxidant activity in the blood was increased by 13percent and insulin response decreased by about 20percent when the meal contained a blend of antioxidant spices.
Furthermore, the level of triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood naturally generated in response to eating high-fat meals – reduced by about 30percent in comparison to eating a similar meal with no spices added.
Contact Penn State researcher Sara LaJeunesse, [email protected] to find out more.
