by Eoanna Petropoulacos

Created on: January 19, 2009   Last Updated: January 28, 2009

Dietary superstars are in your kitchen, on the shelves of your nearest health food store and only a mouse click away online. Herbs and spices not only add dazzle to your dinner but may substantially improve the quality of your life. The use of both may aid in lowering salt, fat and sugar intake.

Herbs are culled from plant leaves while spices are derived from plant roots, bark, buds and fruit. Herbs and spices can be superior antioxidants as well as contain important phytonutrients which can play a vital role in preventing the formation of cancerous cells. According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, studies are being conducted to explore the numerous therapeutic benefits of herbs and spices. In some instances, the perceived benefits are best found in supplements and extracts where the active ingredient is more concentrated and thus more rapidly absorbed into the body. Some herbal remedies have the same active ingredients as those found in commercial drugs so caution must be exercised. Pregnant or nursing women, children and people with various allergies should consult their physician before embarking on any supplement regimen. Below are some of the hot properties on the herbal/spice road to health.

GARLIC
Garlic...the powerful bane of Dracula, is a lethal weapon against infection. A natural antibiotic, it has been found to fight heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Garlic also may possess anti-cancer properties in its arsenal of health warriors. Studies have shown that aged garlic can protect the body against free radicals. One to three cloves a day may help lower cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. (Don't forget to crush the cloves to get the full blast of benefits. Garlic's healing properties are derived from a compound called allicin, which is created only when the clove is damaged and two compounds within the plant come together.)

A member of the allium family, garlic, one of the most widely-used herbal medicines with its antibacterial and antifungal properties, has enjoyed an impressive reign throughout the centuries. Ancient Egyptians worshiped bulb and clove, the latter was discovered to be included in the tomb of King Tut. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates (who had compiled 300 remedies that included garlic, cinnamon and rosemary), reportedly used garlic to treat uterine cancer. Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, maintains that garlic is an effective remedy in conditions like intestinal worm infestations, skin disorders, low libido

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