Super Spice and Everything Nice

Going beyond the taste of superfood spices.

17 Jul 2024

3min

Discover the health-boosting power of superfood spices commonly used in Asian cuisines! Uncover how ginger, known for its fragrance and flavor, aids digestion and treats nausea. Learn about turmeric, or luyang dilaw, with its anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Explore the benefits of cumin, a staple in many dishes, which improves digestion, controls cholesterol levels, and provides antibacterial properties, Vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Let's spice up our health together!

We’re Asians. Of course we use spices!

The use of spices in various Asian cuisines takes those of us with a varied and adventurous palate on a delightful culinary journey. But did you know that some of the spices that provide punchy flavors are actually good for your health too?

You might have heard of “superfoods”—and you might probably associate these with green, leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and berries. There’s a growing body of research that shows that what’s good for your tastebuds can also be good for your brain and your heart too.

It’s Better with Ginger

Fragrance and flavor? Those are ginger’s signatures! Ginger is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisines—and it has also been used in traditional medicine to treat nausea and even the common cold, as well as in aiding digestion.

Take a culinary tour around Southeast Asia with various dishes such as the Thai ginger chicken stir-fry, the Indonesian ginger honey chicken, the Vietnamese ginger chicken, or hearty bowls of our very own arroz caldo or tinola.

Meanwhile, East Asian drink recipes will show you that you can also enjoy ginger as a drink. You can steep ginger in hot water or also have honey mixed in—the perfect recipe to make you feel better.

Take your Pick with Turmeric

There’s no shortage of perks when you use luyang dilaw in your dishes—whether you use it as a natural food coloring, to add a punch of flavor, or to reap its potent health benefits!

Turmeric is packed with anti-inflammatory properties and is believed to help reduce the risk of chronic diseases as we age. It can also be enjoyed as tea or as an ingredient in soups. Of course, you can also enjoy it as part of curry dishes in both Indian and Thai cooking.

Cumin Get it

A go-to spice in cuisines from China, India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, cumin can improve your digestion and may help you control your cholesterol levels. But it doesn’t stop there. The benefits of cumin just keep on coming. With its antibacterial properties, Vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

You can toss it on your rice and add flavor to your beef and chicken dishes as well. You can also combine cumin with other spices to make a great dry rub for grilled meats such as pork chops. There’s no shortage of recipes from various cuisines that make use of cumin, so yes, go be adventurous in the kitchen!

These are just some of the superfood spices that you can enjoy. Go ahead, get curious, explore their flavor profiles, knowing they’re all good for your body and your overall wellbeing.

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