Spice Girls are probably not singing about spices in “Spice Up Your Life,” but you can bet that spices—red chili, nutmeg, oregano, thyme—do spice up your meals!

Spices make a big difference in enhancing the flavors of life. And they do more than just add flavor to foods, they can also stimulate the senses (smell, taste) and even serve as aphrodisiacs, according to an article in Psychology Today.

Image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay

Here’s an abbreviated list of the benefits from common spices we use daily. Next time when you are cooking, consider giving yourself that health boost with the help of spices.

• Cayenne Pepper: Burns body fat
• Garlic: Lowers the risk of cancer
• Ginger: Increases blood circulation; reduces pain and swelling associated with arthritis
• Oregano: Fights infections (has four times the antioxidants of blueberries)
• Parsley: Prevents buildup in the arteries
• Rosemary: Increases the speed of working memory 
• Saffron: Helps fight moderate Alzheimer’s disease
• Turmeric: Decreases the risk of Parkinson’s disease