Spices Are the Healthy Approach to Delicious Pro & Home Cooking

Most people think of plain, dry meat and unseasoned greens when it comes to healthy food. This doesn’t have to be the case, and we’re here to break this stigma. Whether you consider yourself a foodie or not, proper spices and herbs are game changers in healthy cooking. Let’s dive more into this:

Spices: Where Flavor & Health Meet

For centuries, spices have been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Saying it out loud makes sense. Why do so many people falsely perceive healthy food, then? The issue originates from the “modern” diet plans with heavy advertisements of plain meats and steamed vegetables. This would turn any foodie away from such dietary plans.

However, healthy eating is more about the protein, carb, and fat ratio you consume. Unseasoned food can only lack benefits rather than contribute to your good health. There is ample evidence that common spices possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and antitumorigenic properties. Spices lower cholesterol and the glycemic index. They also affect your mood and cognitive abilities.

Artificial Rubs & Sauces Give Grilling a Bad Name

Yes, well-seasoned food tastes better and can potentially bring additional health benefits. However, in a world of artificial flavors, this is rarely the case. This is why grilling may be considered unhealthy.

Most of the commercially available rubs and spice blends include artificial flavors and additives, sugar, and an unhealthy amount of salt. This doesn’t have to be the case. Natural herbs and spices can do the same, if not a better, job at seasoning your favorite grilling meats and vegetables.

Choosing the Right Spices & Herbs

It may take time to find the right combination of spices and herbs for your home cooking adventures, but it’s worth it. Here’s a list of spices and herbs you should consider starting experimenting with on different meats and vegetables.

Chili and bell peppers
Paprika
Coriander
Garlic
Onion
Lime Powder
Oregano
Rosemary
Parsley
Thyme
Peppercorns (white, black, pink)
Maple sugar
Himalayan Pink salt

These are the main spices and herbs we, at JR Gourmet Spices, use in our current spice blends. We have mix-and-match and sample packs suitable for testing and finding the right blend for your taste.

Let’s Talk About Salt and Sugar

As you see, we recommended maple sugar and Himalayan salt although we also mentioned that sugars and highly salted commercial rubs should be avoided. We stand behind everything we said - let us explain why:

Himalayan Pink salt is a result of ocean deposits. It is technically sea salt although it’s mined like rock salt. What makes Himalayan salt different from the regular table or sea salt is that it contains more minerals that help our bodies’ detoxification. Every food requires a little bit of salt to bring out its flavor. The same goes for rubs and spice blends. Choosing Himalayan Pink salt comes with a lot of health benefits rather than just enhancing flavor.

Sugar, on the other hand, is generally bad for your health and should be avoided. This is mainly because of its high glycemic index and also because it is highly addictive. Maple sugar, however, has a significantly lower glycemic index. It also comes with numerous antioxidants that help reduce the risk of cancer and skin issues. Maple sugar has an enormous anti-inflammatory effect.

Let's Wrap Up

Natural spices and herbs (including maple sugar and Himalayan salt) will not only make any BBQ better but also have a huge impact on your health. Here, at JR Gourmet Spices, we strongly encourage every home cooking enthusiast to try our blends.

Delicious food shouldn’t be unhealthy, and grilling meats can be good for you!