Cinnamon in bark is the spice preferred by cooks to give a particular flavor to their recipes. In healthy terms, cinnamon helps keep blood sugar in balance, helps prevent cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, triglycerides and ulcers. Tip: do not cook it too long, it can become bitter.
The cumin plant is one of the oldest medicinal plants, it produces seeds that have a spicy flavor and a rich and singular aroma. In recent years, some research is also verifying its slimming power. The scientists involved compared the effects on overweight and blood sugar levels of the use of cumin extracts.
Herbs of Provence are a blend of fresh or dried aromatic plants. Unmissable in the recipes of local cuisine, these herbs are used to give the final touch in vegetable-based dishes, in stews, sauces, ragu and in grilled fish and meat, such as that of Sisteron lamb.
The sage with a pungent and camphoric flavor can be used to flavor meat, vegetables, omelettes, soups and stews. In French recipes, sage is used for the preparation of soups and flavoring white meats and salami, while in Italy it is the protagonist of recipes such as tortelloni with butter and sage, Roman saltimbocca or in the scent of porchetta.
We can use black mustard seeds to treat chronic constipation, as a diuretic and in gargle to treat the angine. It is a friend of the stomach, it is stimulating, febrifugal, antiscorbutic, and it can cause vomiting. Even dizziness, asthma, lumbago, sciatic, intercostal pain, tooth ache, menstrual pain, are all curable if we rely on mustard.
Thyme is a spice that makes many preparations pleasant. With an aromatic and slightly spicy taste, it can be easily used to flavor pasta dishes, roasted or grilled meat, fish and fillings. Excellent liqueurs and vinegars are also produced. Combined with wine, garlic, onion or brandy, it is used to prepare excellent sauces for meat dishes.
Savory, like many other aromatic herbs, is attributed a herbal use, in particular linked to the digestive system. This medicinal plant is said to have antispasmodic and stomachic properties. Very widespread in Italy, in the kitchen it is excellent for flavoring food but is also rich in beneficial properties, it is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant.
Gomasio is a Japanese condiment made from toasted and chopped sesame, used in cooking to flavor first and second courses, soups, salads and delicious sauces. It represents a beneficial aromatic solution, compared to common table salt: it contains less sodium and provides the body with various nutrients. The version of black gomasio includes dark sesame rich in antioxidants and minerals.
Yellow mustard seeds are a spice derived from the seeds of the mustard plant (Sinapis alba). These seeds are small, light yellow in color and have a spicy, slightly bitter flavor. They are used in the kitchen to prepare mustard paste, flavor dishes and preserve food. Yellow mustard is common in many cuisines around the world and adds a distinctive flavor to various dishes, from marinades to salad dressings.
Laurel is also called "Laurel" or "Poets' Tree", it has been known for centuries in cooking and herbal medicine. Its dried leaves are used both to flavor dishes and as an infusion. An infusion based on bay leaves helps digestion: it avoids annoying fermentations, fights stomach discomfort and loss of appetite. Very useful in the kitchen for flavoring potatoes, stews and second courses such as white meat stew.