Condiments for Health Cures

Introduction

Do you know that the condiments that you may have in your refrigerator or pantry may bolster your health, or prevent the onset of disease such as cancer and atheriosclerosis? It's true. New research shows that common herbs and spices ordinary condiments like ketchup and hot sauce may indeed promote better memory or curb your appetite.

Ketchup

Ketchup which is produced from tomatoes contains a powerful antioxidant known as lycopene. This nutrient may slow down the process which leads to atherosclerosis. But not just any ketchup will do.

A study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that ketchup made from organic tomatoes has up to 60 percent more lycopene per gram than conventional ketchup. It also has higher levels of vitamins A, C, and E.

The darker the hue of the ketchup, the richer in lycopene and other nutrients it is.

Buckwheat Honey

According to researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, dark honey like buckwheat or blueberry contains the highests quantities of antioxidants. These researchers arrived at their conclusion after analyzing 19 different varieties.

Dark honey can be used in the place of refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Rosemary

The herb rosemary minimizes or eliminates carcinogens which are formed when some foods are cooked. Heterocyclicamines are formed when meats are cooked at high temperatures such as grilling or barbecuing. Acrylamide is formed when carbohydrate-rich foods are cooked at temperatures above 250 degrees fahrenheit.

By seasoning meats with rosemary, researchers say that anywhere from 30 to 100 percent of heterocycliamines can be reduced. Danish scientists got similar results when they added rosemary to dough. By mixing 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary for each pound of flour used, acrylamide was decreased by over 50 percent.

For meats, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rosemary per 2 pounds, or spread a paste of chopped rosemary, Dijon mustard, garlic, and course sea salt on meat prior to cooking.

Horseradish

Horseradish can remove deadly toxins from your body. Glucosinolates, compounds in the roots and leaves of the horseradish plant can enhance your body's ability to detoxify carcinogens. They may suppress the growth of existing tumors too. This is all according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Horseradish contains up to 10 times the concentration of glucosinolates in broccoli--the next best source. It can be mixed into ketchup for a cocktail sauce or mustard for a sandwich spread.