Once, I was sitting in physiology class in high school when our teacher told us about the link between free radicals and cancer—that free radicals are bad. One of my classmates who barely ever paid attention said, “If free radicals are bad, I don’t want to be right.”
It’s important to remember that he passed on a college baseball scholarship to become a washed-out UFC fighter.
One way to keep free radicals in check is in an unexpected place. Spices rich in antioxidants, like turmeric, cinnamon and many others offer powerful nutritional benefits when eaten consistently. They’ll also prevent you from committing the ultimate crime: making bland food.
Antioxidants alleviate free radicals, unstable molecules missing an electron, which can alter lipids, proteins and even DNA. Damage from free radicals manifests in everything from wrinkles to cancer.
Having more free radicals than antioxidants can lead to a condition known as oxidative stress. According to the Cleveland Clinic, oxidative stress is linked to cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular, kidney, neurological and respiratory diseases. Antioxidants can give an electron to free radicals to balance them out.
Vitamins C and E, selenium from seafood and beta carotene, which is commonly found in produce like carrots, kale, mangoes and sweet potatoes, are examples of antioxidants that can reduce oxidative stress.
The miseducation of superfoods
Maybe you’ve heard that turmeric and cinnamon have anti-inflammatory properties. They’re part of the so-called superfood trend that has defined a lot of the health food discourse since the 2010s. Superfoods are why we all have heard of acai but have no idea how to pronounce it.
That’s not to say things marketed as superfoods are unhealthy—quite the opposite. But the idea that superfoods must only be eaten once to receive benefits, which is often implied in their splashy marketing, is false. To truly get health benefits from anything, be it a spice, supplement, prescription drug or, yes, even aphrodisiacs, you must ingest them consistently over a period of weeks, not a single meal.
According to Nutrition Journal, dried spices and herbs are one of the most antioxidant dense food products. By comparison, the average antioxidant density in phytonutrient-rich berries is nearly three times lower than that of spices. Meat is not a substantial source of antioxidants.
Cooking with lots of antioxidant-rich spices is not a panacea. It’s something to do in conjunction with independent laboratory-tested supplements. For instance, to fully unlock the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, you should pair it with black pepper, which increases the absorption rate by 2,000%.
For spices with proven health outcomes, like turmeric, cinnamon and cloves, antioxidant content remains high, even through the drying process. Just because it comes from a pantry and isn’t fresh from the farmer’s market doesn’t mean it’s not beneficial.
Spiced chai baked oatmeal
I’ve worked on this recipe for four years, and it has become my standard breakfast at least five days per week. By combining the antioxidants of chai spices with turmeric and the benefits of fresh fruit, nuts and healthy oil, this baked vegan oatmeal is a guilt-free nutritional powerhouse to start your day.
Dry ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons turmeric
A pinch of black pepper for the full turmeric effect
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Liquid ingredients:
1 cup milk of your choice
1/3 cup untoasted sesame oil or another oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 flax eggs (5 or 6 tablespoons warm water and 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed)
Optional ingredients to add with the liquids:
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 to 3 tablespoons rose water
2 to 3 mashed bananas. (Note: If using, cut oil to 1/4 cup)
To make the flax eggs, mix warm water and flaxseed. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes, until thick.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together by combining the spices and the oats, then add the coconut. In a separate bowl, combine the liquid ingredients, flax eggs and mashed banana if using and then mix with the dry ingredients. Prepare a baking dish with cooking spray, then pour oatmeal into the dish, smoothing it out until it’s even. Bake for 50 minutes, until the edges are brown and the center is dry.
I store this in the fridge and reheat slices in the oven for breakfast. While reheating, I sprinkle nuts on top so that they get extra toasty. Serve with yogurt or plant milk, the toasted nuts and fruit.
Chop It Up is a monthly column from Jacob Threadgill, a “semi-retired” journalist in Oklahoma City, where he wrote for the alt-weekly Oklahoma Gazette for three years. Prior to the Gazette, he wrote music and lifestyle features for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi.
Streetlight, previously BigIfTrue.org, is a nonprofit news site based in Oklahoma City. Our mission is to report stories that envision a more equitable world and energize our readers to improve their communities. Donate to support our work here.
