Culinary Use Of Ginger, Turmeric & Cinnamon All Show Metabolic Health Benefits

A little bit of spice can go a long way—whether that's to add color, heighten the taste, or enrich the aroma of food.

And good news for spice lovers: A recent research review looked at 142 studies to determine how some of the most commonly consumed herbs and spices1 can improve our metabolic health. And results are particularly applicable because the studies included used culinary doses of these ingredients—aka the teaspoon here and tablespoon there that home cooks tend to use in the kitchen.

Ginger is a flowering plant, but it's the root of the plant that is used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The benefits are thought to come from gingerol2, a bioactive compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

In this review, studies on ginger were found to have a positive effect on blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, four out of five studies that focused on inflammation revealed that ginger helped improve those markers. 

Turmeric is an ancient Ayurvedic root that is actually a cousin to ginger. Turmeric has potent antioxidant properties thanks to compounds called curcuminoids. Curcumin is the most notable curcuminoid that has been scientifically studied3. Pure turmeric powder is about 3.14% curcumin by weight4. 

Out of all the studies on culinary turmeric use and health outcomes, most looked at turmeric's impact on blood lipid levels such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. And yes, the spice can help lower undesirably high levels of these markers. 

Three studies included in this review looked at the spice's impact on inflammatory markers, with two showing a significant benefit on inflammation levels. All these benefits were seen with consuming around 2.1 to 2.4 grams a day (between ½ and 1 teaspoon). 

But the bioavailability (or the body's ability to uptake and use this compound) is unbelievably low5. While pairing turmeric with black pepper can help boost the bioavailability of curcumin, many turmeric supplements are formulated with optimal absorption in mind to ensure you get the most benefits. These are our favorite dietitian-vetted turmeric supplements (our fave one is even paired with ginger for additional antioxidant protection). 

This baking essential comes from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees and has long been regarded for its healing properties thanks to an array of antioxidants. 

Recent research on cinnamon has investigated its role in regulating blood sugar, specifically for those with diabetes. One way cinnamon may help lower blood sugar6 is by slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract, in turn, slowing the amount of glucose7 that enters the bloodstream at once. Consuming between 1 and 6 grams (roughly one-half to 2 teaspoons) of cinnamon per day has been shown to lower fasting blood sugar levels8 by 10 to 29%.