So 2017 was the year of the probiotic - fermented foods and supplements that help colonize the healthy bacteria in our intestines - and of course, the superfood, concentrated forms of foods that have serious health benefits. Some, like the goji berry came and went in a blaze of unsubstantiated hype, while others, such as inulin and matcha green tea had evidence for their effectiveness grow. This year, get ready for the super spice. Whether you add copious amounts of them to your diet and cooking, or you take them in the supplement form they’re increasingly being made available in, these are foods that have been used traditionally in cooking for years and are now being heralded for their health benefits. For these six at least, there is research to support the hype too.
1. Turmeric: Turmeric is a thermogenic (literally means ‘heat-creating’) spice, explains Rick Hay, nutritionist and lecturer in weight management at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. .
1. Turmeric: Turmeric is a thermogenic (literally means ‘heat-creating’) spice, explains Rick Hay, nutritionist and lecturer in weight management at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. .
This means it can have a fat-burning effect on the body because of the heat it creates after eating and during the digestive process. But turmeric’s star quality lies in its ability to reduce inflammation throughout the body, including, as shown in this 2013 study, in people with osteoarthritis. Turmeric has many proven health benefits and among these the ability to reduce inflammation is key,’ says nutritionist Kim Pearson. Low level inflammation can speed up ageing processes and contribute to disease progression so keeping our inflammatory responses in check can help keep us healthy..
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