Herbs and Spices to Lower Inflammation. Enjoying the Health Benefits from the Kitchen Rack.

Alastair Hunt
Jul 4
6 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Can your spice rack be doing more for your health than just adding flavour to food? A study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests it might. Researchers investigated whether consuming a daily blend of spices for four weeks could reduce inflammation and impact immune cells in adults at risk of heart disease. Their findings could offer a simple, delicious way to support better health - right from your kitchen.

As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to all studies at bottom of page.

The Background: Why Inflammation and Monocytes Matter

Chronic low-grade inflammation plays a significant role in the development of heart disease, particularly in people with obesity or metabolic risk factors like high cholesterol or elevated blood sugar. In this context, the immune system’s monocytes - white blood cells that help fight infections - can actually contribute to the progression of cardiovascular disease when overactivated.

Monocytes are like immune system scouts. They travel through the bloodstream on the lookout for trouble - such as injury, infection or inflammation. When needed, they enter tissues and transform into cells that help clean up damage or fight invaders. However, when monocytes are persistently activated, especially in large numbers, they can do more harm than good. They may contribute to the build-up of plaques in arteries - a key step in developing atherosclerosis and heart disease. There are three main types:

Classical monocytes (CMs): The most numerous and inflammation-prone.
Intermediate monocytes (IMs): Active in chronic inflammation, often elevated in people with heart disease.
Nonclassical monocytes (NCMs): Thought to help repair blood vessels, though their role remains under study.

Learn more about inflammation and inflammaging here.

The Study: Spice Up Your Life

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University ran a rigorous feeding trial with 63 adults who had overweight or obesity, plus at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Each participant tried three diets, each lasting four weeks, with two-week breaks in between. The diets were identical except for the amount of spices added:

Low-dose spice diet (LSD): 0.5g/day
Medium-dose spice diet (MSD): 3.3g/day
High-dose spice diet (HSD): 6.6g/day

The spice blend was built from 24 ingredients, chosen for both their health benefits and familiarity in home cooking.

Blood samples were collected before and after meals to analyse levels of key inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 (IL-6), TNF-alpha, and IL-1 beta. The behaviour of monocytes - how they move, stick to blood vessels, and absorb fats - was also assessed.

This study was designed as a randomised crossover controlled trial, which is one of the most reliable ways to test the effect of a dietary intervention.

In a crossover design, each participant tries every version of the diet (in this case, low, medium, and high spice doses), with washout periods in between to clear any lingering effects. This means:

Each person acts as their own control, reducing variability caused by individual differences like age, metabolism, or baseline inflammation.
Fewer participants are needed to achieve reliable results, since comparisons are made within the same person.

The randomisation part ensures that the order in which participants receive the different diets is assigned by chance - not by choice. This helps prevent bias and ensures that any effects seen are likely due to the spice levels themselves, not the order in which they were tried.

Key Findings: Medium Dose, Maximum Benefit

Among the three diets, the medium-dose spice diet (MSD) stood out. After four weeks on the MSD:

Fasting IL-6 levels, a marker of chronic inflammation, dropped.
Post-meal levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α were all significantly lower compared to the low-spice diet.
The number of foamy monocytes - those linked to plaque build-up in arteries - was reduced.
Levels of CD11c, a molecule that helps monocytes stick to vessel walls, also dropped.

These shifts suggest that moderate spice intake may help tone down both everyday inflammation and the more dangerous spikes that occur after eating.

Interestingly, more wasn’t better. The high-dose diet didn’t offer greater benefits and, in some cases, was less effective.

The authors suggest a “U-shaped” effect may be in play, where too much of a good thing could become counterproductive, possibly due to pro-oxidant effects at high doses.

What Was in the Spice Blend?

The researchers used a mix of 24 spices. To make it practical for home cooking, here’s how they can be grouped into five everyday categories:

Warming and Aromatic Spices

Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice. These are particularly rich in polyphenols and antioxidants—compounds that help counteract inflammation and oxidative stress.

Cinnamon may support blood sugar control and reduce post-meal spikes, while ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits.
Cardamom and allspice also offer bioactive compounds that may benefit heart and immune health. Their warming nature also promotes better circulation and metabolic function.

Earthy and Savoury Spices

Cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, chilli powder, onion and garlic powders. This group features some of the best-documented anti-inflammatory spices in the scientific literature.

Turmeric, for example, contains curcumin, a potent anti-inflammatory linked to improved endothelial function. Garlic and onion are rich in sulphur-based compounds like allicin, which have been associated with cardiovascular protection and reduced blood pressure.
Cumin and coriander support digestion and may lower oxidative stress, while paprika and chilli deliver capsaicin, shown to modulate inflammation and improve blood flow.

Herbs and Leafy Aromatics

Parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, dill, bayleaf, sage, cilantro. These are aromatic herbs often found in Mediterranean and traditional diets, and they offer gentle anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Peppery and Pungent Flavours

Black pepper, red pepper flakes. These add heat and help enhance the absorption of other spices - black pepper, for instance, improves the bioavailability of curcumin.

Seeds and Finishing Spices

Sesame seeds, poppy seeds. Used as toppings or light flavourings, these offer other polyphenols, trace minerals and mild antioxidant effects.

Monocyte Modulation: Behind the Scenes

Beyond reducing inflammatory markers, the study uncovered fascinating changes in how monocytes behaved:

Classical monocytes decreased after the high-spice diet, suggesting a reduction in inflammation-prone cells.
Intermediate monocytes became less likely to move through blood vessel linings after both medium and high spice intake.
Nonclassical monocytes increased slightly, which may support blood vessel maintenance, though more research is needed.

Perhaps most promisingly, the medium-dose spice intake reduced the stickiness and fat-absorbing behaviour of these cells - two traits strongly tied to the early stages of artery damage.

Practical Recommendations

Inspired to add more spice to your life? Here’s how to get started:

Target 3 to 5 grams per day: Roughly ¾ to 1 teaspoon total across meals.
Rotate your choices: Enjoy different dishes from around the world, swap between warming spices like cinnamon and turmeric with savoury ones like cumin and garlic.
Build habits: Sprinkle spices into soups, salads, eggs, grain bowls and marinades.
Choose freshness: Older spices lose potency. Refresh your stash once or twice a year.
Watch portions: The medium dose (not the high) delivered the strongest results.

Frying, grilling roasting? These increase inflammation. Add herbs and spices to the main course and your side dishes.

The takeaway? You don’t need to use all 24 as used in the study - a varied selection of herbs and spices used regularly can offer real health advantages. Culinary herbs and spices are rich in anti-oxidant polyphenols, learn more about them here.

Final Thoughts

This well-designed study adds to growing evidence that everyday culinary herbs and spices are more than just flavour enhancers—they’re functional foods. In just four weeks, moderate spice consumption showed measurable effects on inflammation and immune cell behaviour, both of which are linked to heart health.

While no single food will replace the need for a balanced lifestyle or medical care, this research offers a hopeful reminder: your next step toward better health could start with a simple shake of the spice jar.

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Alastair

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