Pumpkin Spice: The Health Benefits are Nice!
By Sara Butler
Pumpkin spice is everywhere. Whether you fear this time of year or love everything pumpkin spice you can get your greedy little hands on, there’s no denying that pumpkin spice may have some advantages when it comes to your health and wellness. Here are some of the health benefits that adding a little pumpkin spice to your life can bring.
What is Pumpkin Spice
Sure, you can get lattes, bagels, cereal, and even pumpkin spice chews for your dog. It may all seem like pumpkin spice overload, but this flavor combination has been around for quite some time. Pumpkin spice is a combination of allspice, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg that is usually combined with pumpkin puree. It just so happens that these ingredients all have benefits to your health -- as long as you watch the sugar, fat, and calories associated with the delivery of them!
The Benefits
If you need to justify your love of pumpkin spice, you don’t have to look very far. That’s because the individual ingredients in the spice all have their own benefits, such as:
- Cloves – If you have a toothache, then reach for cloves. Cloves contain something called eugenol, which is a natural anesthetic that helps kill bacteria, reduce pain, and even fight inflammation and swelling. Of course, see a dentist if you have a toothache, but this might help in the meantime.
- Cinnamon – This spice is very useful for sore muscles. It makes a great anti-inflammatory that can help to soothes sore muscle stiffness and pain.
- Pumpkin – Pumpkin happens to be great for your peepers. Real pumpkin, just like carrots, is full of beta-carotene, which can help to keep the cells in your eyes healthy and improve vision.
- Nutmeg – Nutmeg helps to give a little zip to your pumpkin spice but it also works as a very powerful anti-bacterial agent, which may help in the fight against cavities.
- Ginger – This ingredient is good for your circulation since it helps reduce inflammation and works as a stimulant. It also happens to help fight stomach upset and nausea, should you need it.
Pumpkin spice may be thought of as overdone, but there are benefits to indulging in this flavor combination. Just don’t forget about the choices that go along with it, since several pumpkin spice lattes each day probably aren’t in the best interest of your overall health and wellness!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Shiloh, Ill.