The Veggie Queen™ Spices Up Your Life
Putting the Plant World to Work
PRESENTED BY JILL NUSSINOW, MS, RD
THE VEGGIE QUEEN
“AN HERB IS THE FRIEND OF PHYSICIANS AND THE PRAISE
OF COOKS.” ~CHARLEMAGNE –9TH CENTURY
SPICES VERSUS HERBS

Spices are the are
seasonings for food that
come from the bark,
buds, fruit or flower parts,
roots, seeds or stems of
various aromatic plants
and trees

Herbs are the leafy parts
of woody plants
ANCIENT 'SPICE' COULDN’T BE PERISHABLE AND NEEDED
TO BE TRANSPORTED FOR MANY MONTHS WITH LITTLE
LOSS OF PUNGENCY.
SPICES WERE USED AS CURRENCY AND FOR TRADE
Advent of the “pepperer’s” around 1100 AD
 Pepper meant wealth
 Then the “Spicer’s Guild” which was the forerunner of
apothecaries and spices were the number 1 item used in
medical practice
 A pound of nutmeg was worth 7 fat oxen

CHILIES COME TO THE NEW WORLD
In 1490s into the mid-1500s, chilies came from the old
world into the new and traveled far and wide across
the globe.
Best source of vitamin C at the time.
NEW ROLE FOR HERBS AND SPICES

They are the “new Superfoods”
Consumer Demand for Flavor is
Driving Up Spice Use
+ 300% per capita from 1 pound to 3 pounds
Spice Use Per Capita, 1966 -2007
USDA/Economic Research Service and McCormick Spices for
Health
Top List of Antioxidants
Spice/Herb
Cinnamon, Ground
Cloves, Ground
Pomegranate Juice
Blueberries
Oregano, dried
Turmeric, ground
Cumin seed
Curry powder
Chili powder
Ginger, ground
Thyme, dried
Paprika
Rosemary, dried
Garlic powder
Serving Size
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 cup
1/2 cup
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
ORAC
6956
6603
5853
4848
3602
3504
1613
970
615
519
407
376
364
187
Nutrient Data Laboratory USDA, 2007.
Wu, 2004, Centre for Phytochemistryand Pharmacology, Southern Cross
University, Australia
Initial studies show that many herbs and
spices have anti-inflammatory effects
These include turmeric, sage, ginger, fenugreek,
rosemary, garlic, chilies, cinnamon and more
Areas of Focus for Spice Research
Cinnamon
Ginger
Oregano
Blood sugar Digestion, Inhibit
regulation
muscle and bacterial
joint pain
growth,
may
improve
diabetesrelated
vascular
complications
Red
Pepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Turmeric
Enhance
satiety
and
metabolic
rate
Inhibit
inflammation
and tissue
damage
caused by
high blood
sugar, may
offer cognitive
benefits
Reduce
cell
damage
caused
by free
radicals,
promote
heart
health
Antiinflammatory
properties,
may promote
heart health,
offer
cognitive
benefits and
reduce
cancer risk
According to McCormick Spice Research
www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com
Did You Know…
Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods –2007, Nutrient Data Laboratory USDA, November 2007, www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata/ORAC
CHILIES
CAPSICUM ANNUUM
SOLANACEAE
FROM CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
ACTIVE COMPONENT IS CAPSAICIN
USED IN AYURVEDIC THERAPY TO TREAT PEPTIC
ULCERS. CURRENTLY, CAPSAICIN IS USED
TOPICALLY IN PROPRIETARY CREAMS TO TREAT PAIN
AND NEUROPATHIES, SINUS SPRAY
CINNAMON
CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM
COMES FROM THE BARK OF A TREE
MAY BE GOOD FOR APPETITE, TO REGULATE
BLOOD SUGAR, HELP WITH COUGHS AND COLDS,
POSSIBLY HELPS WITH DIARRHEA, AN
APHRODISIAC
CUMIN
MEMBER OF APIACEAE (ALSO KNOWN AS
UMBELLIFERAE) FAMILY.
RELATED TO PARSLEY, CARROTS, CARAWAY AND
FENNEL
POPULAR IN NORTH AFRICAN, MIDDLE EASTERN,
WESTERN CHINESE, INDIAN AND MEXICAN CUISINE
MAY HELP WITH DIGESTION.
GINGER
GINGER
Zingiber officinale , Zingiberaceae
From Tropical China, now grown in India, China,
Japan, Indonesia, Australia (Queensland); Sierra
Leone, Nigeria; Jamaica and other West Indies
islands
Anti-nausea, motion sickness, potential expectorant
TURMERIC
Curcuma longa
Zingiberaceae
Southern Asia
India (especially the south central states), southern and eastern
China, Taiwan, Philippines, Java, Haiti, Jamaica, Peru
Contains curcumin – anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, possible HIV
and arthritis treatment
CHEMICALS IN SPICES
Group
Description
Example
Effect
Alkaloids
bitter amines
chile: capsaicin
counter-irritant for pain
Bioflavonoids
phenolic pigments
rosemary: luteolin
antioxidant
Essential oils
Mixtures of volatiles
clove: various
aphrodisiacs, perfume
Glycosides
carbohydrate derivatives garlic: alliin
expectorant, etc.
Phenylpropanoids
cinnamic acid
derivatives
cinnamon: eugenol
topical anesthetic
Resins
terpene oxidants
myrrh: resin acids
antibacterial
Saponins
soapy hemolysants
licorice: glycyrrhizin
anti-inflammatory
Sterols
steroid precursors
sesame: linoleic acid
anti-oxidant
Tannins
polyphenolics
tea: catechin
anti-oxidant
Terpenes
isoprene derivatives
ginger: zingiberene
anti-nauseant
LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND
MEDICINE BE THEY FOOD - HIPPOCRATES
THANK YOU
Any questions?
 You can follow up with me at
jill@theveggiequeen.com if you have any that I
haven’t answered today.

http://www.theveggiequeen.com