As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor at EatingWell Magazine, I know that herbs and spices do more than simply add flavor to food. They let you cut down on some less-healthy ingredients, such as salt, added sugars and saturated fat, and some have inherent health benefits, many of which Joyce Hendley reported on for EatingWell Magazine

.Modern science is beginning to uncover the ultimate power of spices and herbs, as weapons against illnesses from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease. “We’re now starting to see a scientific basis for why people have been using spices medicinally for thousands of years,” says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and author of Healing Spices (Sterling, 2011).

Read more: 8 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating

One of the most attractive qualities of fresh herbs is their intense fragrance and flavor, especially with just-picked ones. Unfortunately, as the cold weather approaches, snipping some fresh mint and basil leaves from the garden is no longer an option.

With that comes the inevitable question: Is it worth buying dried herbs when you don’t have access to fresh ones? Well, it depends. Some herbs work better dried whereas some are definitely not worth your money.

Read more: Dried spices that are a waste of money

Forget diamonds, spices are a girl’s real best friend. Not only will adding them to most of your meals help stave off disease, they can also prevent aging (the wrinkles, weight gain!) and age-related conditions. Of all the spices out there, here are 10 you should add to your diet immediately.

Cardamom: Use this ground-up spice to add flavour to exotic Asian dishes — it’s known to detoxify the liver and boost the immune system.

Cayenne or Dried Chili Flakes: These fiery spices may enhance your metabolism while also making you feel fuller longer. Use them in salsa, guacamole, pasta sauces, etc.

Cinnamon: This sweet spice is loaded with antioxidants and may regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol. Add a pinch to your yogurt or baked goods.

Read more: 10 health-boosting spices

It is a long-standing myth that spicy food exacerbates ulcers and other stomach ailments. But research shows hot chili peppers actually protect the stomach lining and may prevent the gastric damage associated with anti-inflammatory painkillers. They are high in nutrients such as calcium plus vitamins A and C, and there’s some evidence that hot chilies can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, help prevent diabetes and boost metabolism. They may also have some ability to prevent cancer.

Read more here: Why spicy food is good for you

The ad shown at right, from the June 30, 1947 issue of Time magazine, became an anachronistic artifact after publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which documented the eco- and human health dangers of DDT.

Read more here: Spices May Be Used As Potential Pesticides

Chances are you sprinkle cinnamon into your morning oatmeal or add a dash of oregano to pizza without giving the spices much thought. But did you know your favorite flavors can actually do your body good? According to Christina Suarez, master herbalist and owner of TheGoodHerbCo.com, while spices are only effective when eaten at least daily, each has its own specific health benefits. Read on to find out which additives can burn fat, ease a sore throat or help you get to sleep, and how you can incorporate them into your daily diet.

Read more here: Surprising Healing Benefits of Spices

Herbs do more than add spice to the foods you cook. They also have important health benefits, and many herbs have been shown to contain remarkable healing properties.

Growing your own

Fortunately, herbs are easy to grow in your home herb garden. They are also quite inexpensive to buy, either fresh or dried. When buying herbs, whether they are dried or fresh, it’s important to exercise caution and to buy only the freshest plants, seeds, flowers, roots, or leaves, or those dried herbs made by quality, reputable companies.

But the freshest herbs come from the home garden. Unlike many other forms of gardening, an herb garden takes up very little space. Most herb gardens can be grown using the smallest flower pots in a sunny windowsill. There are even kits which allow the cook to grow a variety of herbs directly from seed, all in one handy container.

There are a range of ways to use herbs in cooking. For instance, meats, stews, and pasta dishes can be enhanced with basil, garlic, oregano, and rosemary. Foods that are naturally sweet can be further enhanced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Extra heat can be added to many foods by adding a dash of white, black, or red pepper.

Herbs and dieting

Dieters often appreciate the ability of herbs to add flavor and variety to food without adding extra calories. When using fresh herbs in a recipe, the best technique is to gently crush the herbs in your hand in order to fully release their flavor. It is best to add the herbs near the end of the cooking process to preserve their flavor and nutritional value.

Now here are afew of the most commonly grown herbs in the home garden:

• Sweet basil (ocimum basilicum), in both the dark opal and the green variety are easy to grow from seed, and they generally germinate at 7 to 10 days. Basil can grow to a height of 18 inches, and it provides excellent flavor to tomato paste, pastas, soups, and stews.
• Chives (allium scboenoprasum) is a perennial plant which is popular in both herb gardens and more traditional garden patches. These tiny plants resemble spears of grass when they first sprout, but they can grow to a height of 12 inches. Chives are great in salads, sauces, and all kinds of egg dishes.
• Dill (anethum graveolens) is another easily grown herb, and it makes an excellent flavoring for meats and mashed potatoes. Dill is also excellent for use in pickling.
• Lavender (lavandula) is easy to grow as well, and it provides a fresh scent indoors and out. While not traditionally eaten, lavender is important in aromatherapy, and the dried leaves make excellent sachets for sprucing up closets.
• Mint (menthe spicat) is easy to grow and it can be grown indoors. Mint is an excellent accompaniment to fruit drinks and lemonade, and we all know how well mint jelly goes with lamb dishes.
• Sage (saivia officinalis) is another perennial plant that is grown indoors and out. This popular herb is excellent for use in chicken, turkey, and pork, and it’s often used for flavoring sausage as well.