"Tis the SEASONing....

Spice up your holiday cooking with these spices instead of limiting yourself to sweet treats like pumpkin pie, gingerbread, and eggnog! These spices can add flavor with out adding extra salt, fat, or sugar and as a bonus they each have their own health benefits!

Ginger

Ginger can help reduce inflammation that causes muscle pain and arthritis.

USE IT: Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise and cover the flesh with ground ginger, then bake as usual

Cinnamon

Cinnamon enhances the natural sweetness of foods, so you can cut back on sugar while still satisfying your sweet tooth. It may also help control blood sugar levels.

USE IT: Toss some nuts with a bit of oil, sea salt, and cinnamon and back for 10 minutes for a delicious snack. Also sprinkle over baked apples and peaches for a fruit side dish.

Nutmeg

Another natural accompaniment to both salty and sweet dishes, it tastes like cinnamon with a touch of nuttiness. Compounds in nutmeg boosts mood

USE IT: melt a touch of butter,m add some nutmeg, and then saute spinach in it.

Women's Health December 2009