If you’re like me, the arrival of the fall season brings a big smile to your face. I love everything about the fall — cooler weather, beautiful leaves on the ground, and pumpkin spice everything! The latter being my favorite thing about the season.
From coffee and lattes to baked goods to even chocolate, pumpkin spice is everywhere this season and it tastes divine! As if that wasn’t incentive enough to indulge, it turns out that the ingredients in pumpkin spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice) just don’t taste good, they may also offer some health benefits.
The Perks of Pumpkin Spice
Check out what each ingredient in pumpkin spice can do for your health:
- Cinnamon is a commonly used spice around the world, but its potential benefits go far beyond just flavoring your favorite foods. Cinnamon extracts may lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels; it also an anti-inflammatory and provides antioxidant protection.
- Ginger also has several health benefits. It’s great for soothing various types of stomach problems, including morning sickness, vomiting, and nausea. Ginger is also used for pain relief from osteoarthritis and menstrual pain and to reduce symptoms of dizziness (vertigo). It has even been linked to enhanced brain function.
- Nutmeg has some serious benefits for your brain. It has been shown to possibly help slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease patients and may help with brain tissue recovery after a stroke. Nutmeg has also been shown to alleviate chronic inflammation and pain.
- Cloves are a great source of natural antioxidants. They are also beneficial for their anti-inflammatory effects.
- Allspice contains a chemical called eugenol, which might explain some of its traditional uses for pain relief and treating indigestion.
Get your pumpkin spice fix the healthy way
Now that you know the ingredients in pumpkin spice may be good for you, what are you waiting for? Get out and get some pumpkin spice goodness before it’s gone! Just remember to indulge responsibly; many of the pumpkin-spiced drinks and treats on the market may contain added sugar and fat.
If you’re looking for healthy pumpkin spice goodies, check out these tasty seasonal recipe ideas that you can try at home.
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