Holiday cookies and gingerbread – not only delicious to eat!
Spices have long been used in oriental cooking for not only their culinary properties, but also for their medicinal properties. Many of the spices that we typically use in our holiday baking, such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamon, star anise, nutmeg, are known for their warming and drying qualities in TCM. They help keep out the cold and damp of the season, strengthen yang qi which is weaker in the winter, and invigorate the immune system.
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Cinnamon ((rou gui): Regulates blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer cells in lymphoma and leukemia, anti clogging, antiseptic and anti bacterial, eases aches of cold limbs and a weak back. A study at Copenhagen University has shown relief can be gained from arthritis pain in just one week by taking ½ teaspoon of cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of honey daily before breakfast. Cinnamon can be put in tea, coffee, hot chocolate, as well as in baked goods and savory dishes. Even just the smell of cinnamon has been shown to boost cognitive brain function and memory!
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Ginger (jiang): Aids digestion, helps with headaches, nausea, menstrual cramps and muscle soreness, neutralizes toxins in food. Ginger can be used in hot teas with a little honey and lemon to help prevent colds and coughs, and a small thin piece of ginger placed on the back of the tongue and kept there for ten minutes can help soothe a sore throat.
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Nutmeg (rou dou kou): Warms the spleen and stomach, promotes circulation of qi and stops diarrhea. Instead of the usual eggnog, try a hot cup of chai with nutmeg.
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Cloves (ding xiang): Regulate the stomach and spleen, dispel cold from the kidneys, help with indigestion, hiccups, impotence. Cloves have many nutrients and minerals and are usually cooked with apples, but are also used in baked goods. Topically clove oil is used in dental care and for relieving mouth sores.
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Star anise (ba jiao): Digestive, stimulant, remedy for intestinal cramps, treats colic in babies. The seeds from these five sided star shaped fruits have a taste like licorice and are often used in soups and meat dishes to bring out the flavor. Star anise is one of the spices in the Chinese Five Spices mix and also in garam marsala which is used in Indian cooking.
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Fennel (xiao hui xiang): Warms kidneys, expels cold, alleviates lower abdominal pain, diuretic, eases gas and bad breath. In Indian restaurants you may see a plate of fennel seeds by the cash register. The seeds can be chewed after your meal to help with digestion.
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Turmeric (jiang huang): Antioxidant, invigorates blood and energy, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-bacterial, detoxifier. Turmeric has been used for hundreds of years in Ayurveda, the ancient natural healing system of India. In TCM it regulates the spleen, stomach and liver and is used for some menstrual problems. It is a common ingredient in curry but can also be eaten with rice, and the powder can be sprinkled on any savory dish.
NOTE: As with any other food, spices are to be consumed in moderation. All spices have active ingredients and should be treated like any other medicine. Always discuss with your own physician, or with me, before treating any conditions with spices in case of adverse reactions.
Two special spices that we associate with Christmas are Frankincense (ru xiang) and Myrrh ((mo yao). These are not just gifts from The Three Wise Men. Both spices have been valued for centuries in Chinese medicine to help invigorate both qi and blood and, when used together, their benefits are mutually enhanced. They can be used topically or orally to heal wounds, reduce swellings and relieve pain. Frankincense has been in the news lately for its potential to destroy cancer cells. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8505251.stm
So next time you are cooking in the kitchen don’t forget those precious healing spices!
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