10 "Superfoods" to Eat Daily for Optimal Health - Part 10

Cinnamon is a Healing Spice

Studies have linked cinnamon to improved blood sugar in people suffering from diabetes.

Cinnamon is also indicated to have antibacterial, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungal properties. Plus, it's high in manganese, iron, calcium, and fiber all beneficial to the body. 

The health benefits of this super spice continue to be revealed through ongoing studies but it has long been used in traditional medicine.

SPICE #17 ANSWERS

1 - Vanilla is a spice - True - vanilla beans seed pods from climbing orchids native to Central America and South America.

2 - Ground spices have a longer shelf life than whole spices - False - When a spice is ground, its essential oils are more exposed to air, which makes them lose their aroma and flavor.

3 - Nutmeg and mace come from the same tree - True - Both spices come from the nutmeg tree; mace is the bright red outer covering of the nutmeg seed.

4 - Star anise is a fruit - True - The star-shaped spice comes from an evergreen tree.

5 - Spices most often come from a plant's leaves - False - Spices come from the non-leafy parts of a plant, such as the seeds, bark, roots, berries and fruit.  Herbs come from the plant's leaves.

6 - Allspice is a blend of cinnamon, cloves and black pepper - False - Allspice is a berry from the Jamaican bayberry tree.  It's called allspice for its complex taste, which resembles a mix of spices.

7 - Anise seeds are the same as fennel seeds - False - Both have a similar licorice flavor, but the seeds come from two different plants.

So - how did you do.  I didn't do so well with my answers but I sure did learn a lot.

SPICE #17

These are True or False - See how many you can get right.

1. Vanilla is a spice T or F   (I say T)
2. Ground spices have a longer shelf life than whole spices T or F   (I say F)
3. Nutmeg and mace come from he same tree T or F   (I say T, think I read that somewhere)
4. Star anise is a fruit T or F  (I say T, because it looks like it might be a tiny dried fruit)
5. Spices most often come from a plant's leaves T or F  (I think F, I think most come from seeds)
6. Allspice is a blend of cinnamon, cloves and black pepper T or F  (I say F, don't know why)
7. Anise seeds are the same as fennel seeds T or F  (I'm having to take a guess on this and say T)


Answers to SPICE #16 - C - You can use the entire seed; it will stay potent for about 2 years.  Finally I got one right!

Check back tomorrow for the answers to this final SPICE Quiz (#17)

SPICE #16

Do you know which part of a whole nutmeg seed you should grate?

A - The outer brown skin
B - Just beneath the outer brown skin
C - The whole thing

I love using whole nutmeg seeds and I grate the whole thing so I'm guessing C.  Hope I'm right.


Answer to SPICE #15 - D - Piperine  Another wrong answer for me!

SPICE #15

Did you know that peppercorns contain an essential oil that makes you sneeze?  Which of these do you think it might be?

A - Monoterpense
B - Capsaicinoids
C - Capsaicin
D - Piperine

I have no idea!  I'm going to guess the only 'word' I recognize which is C - Capsaicin.


Answer to SPICE #14 - B - High-quality saffron can cost up to $200 per ounce.
Finally I got one right!

SPICE #14

Do you know which of these spices are the most expensive?

A - Vanilla
B - Saffron
C - Chili Flakes
D  Cardamon

I think I heard somewhere that Saffron is the most expensive so I'm choosing B.


Answer to SPICE #13 - A - Celery Salt.  Yep, I got another one wrong!

SPICE #13

Do you know what the primary spice is in Old Bay Seasoning?

A - Celery salt
B - Paprika
C - Black Pepper
D - Chili Powder

I use Old Bay frequently but I can only make a guess at this answer.  I'm saying B - Paprika.


Answer to SPICE #12 - C - Canada was the top exporter of spices to the U.S. in 2014.
Another wrong answer for me!

SPICE #12

Do you know where America get the majority of it's spices?

A - China
B - India
C - Canada
D - Mexico

I'm guessing B - India.


Answer to SPICE #12 - C - The USDA recommended replacing ground spices after two to three years.  Smell your spices to make sure they're still pungent, and replace them sooner if necessary.

I got another one Wrong!

SPICE #11

Do you know the shelf life of your ground spices?

A - 6 months
B - 1 - 2 years
C - 2 - 3 years
D - Dried Spices are good forever

I'm not sure about this one so I'm going to guess B - 1 - 2 years.


Answer to SPICE #10 - D.  Chai tea is typically made with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, ginger, star anise, black peppercorns and black tea.  I missed that one too!

SPICE #10

Do you know which spice is NOT traditionally used in chai tea?

A - Black Pepper
B - Cardamon
C - Cinnamon
D - Mace


I'm not a Chai Tea drinker so this is another guess for me.  I'm saying Black Pepper.


Answer to SPICE #9 - A - Sweet Smoked Paprka 1; B - Habanero Chile Powder 4; C - Cayenne Pepper  3; and D - Ancho Chile Powder 2

I really miss this one!

SPICE #9

Can you rank the heat of these spices? Rank 1-4 with 4 being the hottest.

A - Sweet Smoked Paprika ____
B - Habanero Chile Powder ____
C - Cayenne Pepper _____
D - Ancho Chili Powder ____

I'm saying A - 1; B - 3; C - 2; and D - 4

Answer to SPICE #8 - D is not a type of Paprika.  I got another one right!

SPICE #8

Do you know which of these are NOT a type of paprika?

A - Hungarian
B - California Sweet
C - Pimenton
D - English

I've heard of Hungarian and think I've heard of California Sweet.  I'm going to take a guess and say D - English.

Answer to SPICE #7 - D - Termeric has long been used to enhance the color of mustard and other foods, including stocks and rice.  I got that one wrong!

SPICE #7

Do you know what is often added to mustard to give it its yellow color?

Choose from:
A - Cumin
B - Saffron
C - Curry Powder
D - Turmeric

I'm guessing D - Turmeric.  Check back tomorrow to see if I got it right.

The answer to SPICE #6 is B.  Cinnamon sticks come from the inner bark of laurel trees.  When harvested, the bark naturally rolls up, then it's dried.  I got that one right too.  (I think I read this somewhere a long time ago.)

SPICE #6

Do you know where cinnamon sticks come from?  The answer to that is the Laurel Tree.  But what part of the tree is used to make cinnamon sticks?

A - Root
B - Bark
C - Leaves

I'm pretty sure I know this one.  I'm staying the Bark.

Answer to SPICE #5 - A - Dried Lavender.  It's technically an herb because it comes from the plant's leaves.  It is commonly found in the French herb blend herbes de Provence.

I got that one right but my answer was only a guess.  I didn't know it was actually an herb.

SPICE #5

Do you know which of these items is NOT a spice?

A - Dried Lavender
B - Sesame Seeds
C - Juniper Berries
D - Fenugreek Seeds

My guess is A - Dried Lavender.  As for D - I'm not sure what that is but since it's a seed I'm guessing it is a spice.  Check back tomorrow to see if I'm correct.

For SPICE #4 - the answer was B.  Mrs. Dash was invented in the early 1980's as a seasoning alternative t salt; it was called Mrs. Pinch.  I got that one right!

SPICE #4

I think most of us have heard of Mrs. Dash seasoning but do you know what it was originally creted for?  See if you can guess.

A - a Cajun flavoring mix
B - a salt-free seasoning blend
C - a liquid flavoring mix
D a seafood seasoning mix

I've used this product off and on for years and I think I started buying it as a salt-free seasoning blend so I'm going to guess B.

What is your guess?

Answers to SPICE #3 is C.  According to Food Network Magazine Cincinnati chili generally contains cinnamon, plus other baking ingredients such as cloves, allspice and even chocolate!

I got that one wrong.

SPICE #3

Do you know which of these chilies contain the secret ingredient of Cinnamon?

A - Texas
B - New Mexico green chili
C - Cincinnati Chili
D - All of the above

I'm guessing B but I haven't looked at the answer so I could very well be wrong.  Check back tomorrow to see if you guessed it correctly.

Answer to yesterday's Spice #2 - A = 4, B = 3, C = 1, D = 5, and E = 2
How did you do?  I actually got this one correct.