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6 Healthy Herbs and Spices and How to Use Them  Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and meats can taste wildly different depending on where in the world they’ve been prepared. If you’ve ever tried collard greens from both Brazil and the south of the United States, you know that they taste very different.   What’s the main difference between collard greens from each of these regions?   The secret to the difference in taste isn’t in the food itself but rather in how it is prepared and seasoned.   Needless to say, herbs and spices are powerful ingredients that can transform a bland dish into something extraordinary.   Herbs and spices are a wonderful way to make just about any food ignite the senses. They also add countless healthy phytochemicals, including antioxidants, to any meal.   Phytochemicals are plant-based chemicals that are biologically active and interact with the human body to produce health-promoting outcomes.   You may have heard of certain herbs and spices that help to support your health, but you are unsure what foods they are found in or, if you like to get creative, how to use them in the kitchen.  As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, you have the opportunity to talk to clients about diet and nutrition. Clients may ask to be educated about certain herbs or spices or given tips on how they can creatively use them in the kitchen, or they may be curious about how particular herbs and spices may support their health. This article describes the health properties of six herbs and spices and then lists several dishes where they are commonly found. For those who like experimenting in the kitchen, we also suggest several types of dishes that go well with each of them.  Turmeric  Turmeric is known as “the Golden Spice,” thanks to its bright yellow-orange color. In addition to being a central spice in numerous Asian dishes, turmeric is an adaptogen that has been used as a medicine in Ayurveda for at least 4000 years, thanks to its pharmacological and biological activity. Today, turmeric continues to be used as an herbal medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, chronic anterior uveitis, conjunctivitis, skin cancer, smallpox, chicken pox, wound healing, urinary tract infections, liver ailments, digestive disorders, abdominal pain, colic, and several other conditions.   Needless to say, turmeric is very high in phenolic compound activity. Curcuminoids are found to be natural antioxidants. Other natural compounds in turmeric that support health are curcumin and volatile oil, which, together, have been found to have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antiseptic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, radioprotective, and digestive activities.  Learn How to Become a Certified Holistic Nutritionist in Less Than 6 Months Global Dishes that Use Turmeric  Many dishes that have turmeric originated in Southeast Asia. These include:  Masala Dosa from India  Onion Bhaji from India  Pastilla from Morocco  Samosa from India  Tajine Maadnous from Tunisia  Tohu Thoke from Burma  Amba from Iraq and the Middle East   Some Ways to Integrate Turmeric into Your Dishes Include:   In smoothies with ginger and the fruit of your choice  In curries and chilis  To season meats and vegetables   As a flavor-booster in soups  Note that curry powder contains turmeric, so if the taste of pure turmeric is too bitter for you, try using curry powder instead.   Ginger  Ginger is an aromatic root that has been used as a tonic root In India and China for over 5000 years. It was desired by the Roman Empire over 2000 years ago due to its medicinal properties, which made it an important article of trade in those times.   Researchers have identified several bioactive compounds in ginger, including several forms of gingerol, paradol, shogaol, and gingernone, among others. Together, these components have been credited with ginger’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, anti-nausea compound, and anticancer agent, as well as the protective effect of ginger against other disease conditions. To this day, ginger is used for the treatment of numerous ailments, such as colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension.  Global Dishes that Use Ginger  Ginger chicken from Indonesia  Ginger juice from West Africa  Ginger chicken from China  Pickled ginger from Japan  Jujube ginger tea from Korea  Braised belfish from Korea  Gingerbread cookies from England  Some Ways to Integrate Ginger into Your Dishes Include:  Boiled in water to make ginger tea  In sauces, glazes, and marinades  In homemade versions of noodle bowls and stir fry  In warm and cold soups  Lemongrass  Lemongrass is an herb that looks very much like long grass or reeds and originates from tropical climates. It thrives in heat and, if you choose to grow some at home, should be moved indoors or into a greenhouse when the weather gets colder. While it has many beneficial compounds, it is best known for controlling pathogens and for increasing herbal resistance to pathogenic diseases.   While it is commonly prepared as a tea or tonic for medicinal purposes, its rich aroma makes it a popular ingredient in nonalcoholic beverages, baked foods, and baked goods.   Lemongrass is high in citral monoterpenes and myrcene, both of which have antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant properties.   Global Dishes that Use Lemongrass  Some global dishes that contain lemongrass include:   Beef rendang from Indonesia  Tom yum soup from Thailand  Curry paste from Southeast Asia  Ginger and lemongrass iced tea from Sierra Leone  Coconut shrimp soup from Cambodia  Some Ways to Integrate Lemongrass into Your Dishes Include:  Salad dressings  Marinades  Boiled to make tea  Curries  Soups  Stews  Cinnamon   Cinnamon might be a staple spice for you; it is one of the most commonly used spices in sweets around the world. It is aromatic and is often described as warm, sweet, and spicy. Cinnamon comes from the inner part of the bark of the cinnamon tree. It is native to Sri Lanka, and it was once more valuable than gold.   Researchers have found that the species of cinnamon differ slightly in their flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity.   Some of the most beneficial phenolic compounds of cinnamon include cinnamic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillin, and caffeic acid. Cinnamon