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(culinary) Is it bad to use tons of spices?

Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky

Frumious Bandersnatch
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I'm aware there's no single answer here, as it changes w/ each spice, but I guess I'm wondering if there's any general trends, or any noteworthy 'unhealthy' spices, or other problems.

I ask because over the past few months, i've been really ramping up how spicey my foods are (sesame seeds, habanero, garlic, turmeric etc etc etc) and guess I'm just trying to learn more about problems (not interested in getting into a discussion of the various benefits) The only problem I think i've noted is that the 'hot' spices (particularly jalepenos and habanero) seem to give me some loose-stool..

Thanks for any general info, links whatever :)
 
Not to mention health benefits per se, but I think if there are a lot of hot spices in the meal then the presence of fresh ginger and garlic in moderation can help prevent an upset stomach. High-chilli diets probably take time to get used to, generations in some cases!

I understand that too much turmeric is associated with jaundice if used in overly large amounts, the opposite of its effects in smaller amounts :\

I do love those spices though :D
 
bmxxx said:
^do you feel the same about food, or just spices? why?
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Organic is almost always better. The health benefits of certain foods (spices in particular) can be greatly reduced by what they go through. Irradiation for example can destroy vitamins and produce arguably toxic chemicals.
 
I don't have any info for you BMXXX.

I do know that some of the ethnic local stores in the South will carry MSG, which is notoriously unhealthy and on the Surgeon Generals radar. I guess its a salt. My father says he had seen a whole chicken prepared with it while in the Marines and he LOVED it.
 
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A lot of spices have health benefits actually. Unless you have an allergy to a specific spice or something, then I think they are actually more good than bad.
 
Depends on what category of aromatic spices we're talking about. They all have different medicinal actions.

The savory herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, etc... mostly act to promote digestion. Their compounds lend chemistries to the stomach acid to make it more potent in breaking down food.

Spicy herbs like cayenne, chili, etc. create internal heat which draws blood to the GI and can help with the absorption rate. They can also kill parasites. If you use too much hot spices then it can cause heart burn, or increase peristalysis in the GI making food pass through you faster. It's mostly a response to your body being irritated by the chemical burn that's happening.

Some people have the opposite problem with their bodies lack moisture due to some kind of internal heat problem. When you give them food with cooling herbs their heart burn and GI burning sensations stop. For that you can use cooling herbs like peppermint, oregano, cilantro, dill, coriander, cardamom and cumin.

Sesame seeds aren't really a spice, but they taste good don't they? Roasted sesame seeds are one of the world's best sources of absorbable calcium.
 
beagleboy said:
I don't have any info for you BMXXX.

I do know that some of the ethnic local stores in the South will carry MSG, which is notoriously healthy and on the Surgeon Generals radar. I guess its a salt. My father says he had seen a whole chicken prepared with it while in the Marines and he LOVED it.
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I'm very eager to grab some MSG next time i'm at the grocer's. I've been getting into asian-type foods lately, and was reading about 'umami' or the 5th taste (sour/bitter/sweet/salty) and it seems it's chiefly stimulated by 3 compounds, the primary one being glutamate (the amino acid) So, foods that have significant free/unchained glutamate (fermented foods, for instance) tend to give the 'umami' sensation (think soy sauce or parmesan cheese) Anyways MSG, or monosodium glutamate, can give this directly, so much more versatility than stuff that has its own flavor palette aside from the glutamate :)

Foreigner said:
Depends on what category of aromatic spices we're talking about. They all have different medicinal actions.

The savory herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, etc... mostly act to promote digestion. Their compounds lend chemistries to the stomach acid to make it more potent in breaking down food.

Spicy herbs like cayenne, chili, etc. create internal heat which draws blood to the GI and can help with the absorption rate. They can also kill parasites. If you use too much hot spices then it can cause heart burn, or increase peristalysis in the GI making food pass through you faster. It's mostly a response to your body being irritated by the chemical burn that's happening.

Some people have the opposite problem with their bodies lack moisture due to some kind of internal heat problem. When you give them food with cooling herbs their heart burn and GI burning sensations stop. For that you can use cooling herbs like peppermint, oregano, cilantro, dill, coriander, cardamom and cumin.

Sesame seeds aren't really a spice, but they taste good don't they? Roasted sesame seeds are one of the world's best sources of absorbable calcium.
Click to expand...

roasted sesame seeds rock, i''ve been using them in my hummus recipes for months and still haven't played them out.
Thanks for that post, it was very very informative!
 
If you use too much of herbs and spices they go from being of benefit to a detriment to the system. I love garlic but I tend to use just one clove per day max. I've eaten way more before and functioned OK though. I lived with an Italian chef last year who knew his stuff, he recommended no more than 2 cloves per day too.
 
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