Healthy eating: Spicy family recipe secrets

Angela McKeller of Atlanta figured out it was the addition of a teaspoon of cumin and a dash of cayenne pepper that made her great-grandmother’s recipe for collard greens such a hit: “No bitterness, lots of flavor and even folks that don’t like collard greens love them!”

Tanya Hudson of Athens creatively sneaks in a teaspoon of dried thyme to the pie crusts her grandmother taught her how to bake.

And Emma Wilson of Dacula knows her mother’s recipe for sweet potato muffins wouldn’t be as fragrantly delicious without a little nutmeg, cinnamon and orange juice.

These three home cooks are the winners in a statewide contest held by Georgia Public Broadcasting to find the best “Secret Family Recipes” for a Dec. 4 GPB television program with a cookbook to match called “Georgia Cooks.”

McKeller, Hudson and Wilson will demonstrate their recipes and share family recipe secrets with the host of "Georgia Cooks," chef Marvin Woods. For more information on the program, visit www.gpb.org/georgiacooks.

All this talk about kitchen secrets got me thinking about a pinch of this and pinch of that and how professional chefs and home cooks use spices to liven up dishes and pass those recipe tips on to the next generation. Turns out there are both taste and health benefits in your spice cabinet.

Nutrition research supports new reasons to season dishes with herbs and spices including cinnamon, ginger, oregano, red pepper and yellow curry powder. Deeply colored fruits may be famous for their high antioxidant content, but it turns out that some spices rank really high, too.

One teaspoon of cinnamon has the disease-fighting antioxidant power of a full cup of pomegranate juice or a half cup of blueberries. The specific kind of antioxidant compounds found in cinnamon called polyphenols have been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels and fight inflammation, which can increase risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Feel even better about the cinnamon sprinkled on your oatmeal? Just don’t use this spicy news to help justify downing one of those huge cinnamon buns at the mall.

Controlling total fat and calories in your diet still reigns supreme as the most important rule in good nutrition.

With that in mind, it’s interesting to note that spices might come to rescue there, too.

• Red chile pepper gets heat from a powerful antioxidant compound called capsaicin. Spicing up your meal with red pepper flakes also may help increase satiety so you eat less. Other studies found red peppers, even milder sweet red peppers, boost your metabolism so you burn a few more calories. Other studies suggest that some seasonings such as cayenne pepper, chili powder and paprika may help curb hunger pangs and boost the metabolism, making it a bit easier to stick to a weight-control diet.

• Ginger has long been used as a natural remedy to sooth stomach upset. Now research focusing on one of its active ingredients called gingerol suggests it might work like anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Is your mouth burning from the wasabi served with sushi? Pick up that piece of fresh ginger on the plate.

• Oregano has the highest antioxidant levels of the dried herbs because of its rosmarinic acid content. Used heavily in Mediterranean cuisines, oregano has antimicrobial powers that can help fight bacterial growth and may help inhibit the bacteria associated with ulcers.

• Yellow curry powder is a blend of turmeric and other spices including cumin. Curcumin, the bright yellow pigment in turmeric, helps fight heart disease and might boost brain health, possibly protecting against Alzheimer's disease.

More spice, less fat, sugar and salt

Of course, one of the best ways that spices can contribute to the enjoyment of a healthy diet is by taking the place of other seasonings that are high in fat, sugar or salt. Herbs and spices are classified as calorie-free and salt-free.