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Cinnamon sticks can liven up warm drinks and provide some health benefits. |
AS COLD WEATHER
Obviously, on cold days, warm things like hot chocolate and soup may be more comforting than refrigerated foods such as salads. Adding certain seasonings can increase the sensation of warmth and provide some interesting health benefits as well.
Spices including cinnamon, ginger, mustard, horseradish and pepper increase the sensation
The key is finding the amount of heat that's right for you, to provide a gently warming flavor.
gentle cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the mildest warming spices. Adding a cinnamon stick to coffee or tea gives a pleasant flavor, as does sprinkling ground cinnamon onto oatmeal or applesauce.
Cinnamon may help lower blood sugar and cholesterol in people with diabetes (although it's not a replacement for medications).
Cinnamon also appears to have some mild antibacterial qualities.
soothing ginger
Ginger has a stronger flavor than cinnamon, and takes the heat up a notch. It's used in familiar mild desserts including apple and pumpkin pies.
Many Asian chefs use larger amounts of ginger in entrees and sauces, enough to make them burning hot. Try adding ginger to stir-fried vegetables, chicken and seafood. It's also tasty in chicken soup.
Ginger is effective against morning sickness and postoperative nausea, according to an article in American Family Physician. The authors say there is conflicting evidence that ginger may help ease motion sickness. I swear by eating ginger candy before plane and boat trips.
Scientists are studying ginger as a possible arthritis remedy, but more information is needed.
When in doubt, it's better to take ginger as a food seasoning than in higher doses found in ginger capsules. That's because too much ginger can amplify the effect of prescription blood-thinning medications.
nose-clearing spices
Common yellow mustard is mild, while fancy brown or black mustards tend to be much stronger--strong enough to open clogged sinuses and make your eyes water. Try extra mustard when you have a cold.
Spicy horseradish sauce is made from the root of a plant related to mustard, and also can clear a stuffy nose. It's quite pungent and often used as a sauce for steak, or mixed with ketchup to make cocktail sauce.
Wasabi, a similar-tasting but unrelated plant called Japanese horseradish, also is quite potent. If you've tried sushi, you know wasabi as the pale green paste served alongside it. A pea-size amount is powerful enough to clear the sinuses.
I found this out in an embarrassing way--the first time I tried sushi was at a business lunch, and I unwittingly ate a huge glob of wasabi, which made my nose and eyes water so badly that I appeared to be sobbing. My boss at the time laughed mercilessly.
Now, I enjoy wasabi in smaller doses.
Wasabi may help prevent cancer, but studies are very preliminary, and the herb is no substitute for a physician's care.
A dash of pepper
Many people do not realize that black pepper comes from a different plant than chili peppers. The black pepper found in tabletop shakers everywhere comes from the ground seeds, or peppercorns, of a tropical vine originally from India.
In medieval Europe, black pepper was as costly as gold and jewels. Now pepper is more widely available.
Ground pepper loses its pep over time, so consider buying whole peppercorns, which have a fresher flavor. You can grind fresh pepper over soups or salads just before serving, and the flavor is more fragrant and pungent.
Unlike black pepper, paprika and cayenne are types of chili peppers and technically are fruits. To make chili peppers into a powder, the thin-walled peppers are dried and then ground.
Spiciness varies with the type of pepper. Typically, paprika is mild and is often used as a lovely red garnish on chicken or fish.
Cayenne is more potent--sensitive folks may need only a dash of cayenne to season food for a family of four, while more adventurous folks may use much more. Chili powder is usually a mixture of cayenne pepper plus the herbs oregano, cumin and garlic.
Eating too much chili pepper causes a burning sensation, but does not actually damage the mouth.
If you're on fire from too much pepper, try drinking milk, not water. Capsaicin, the thing that makes chilies hot, won't dissolve in water, but it does wash away in milk, ice cream or yogurt.
Mix it up
To warm up fast on a cool day, combine several warming spices in a warm-temperature food or drink. For example, Mexican hot chocolate has a dash of cinnamon and pepper. Chai tea has cinnamon, ginger and pepper in it.
Stay toasty warm!
Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.