From fancy lattes to mulled wine and seasonal teas, this time of year brings new flavors to your palate. A lot of them come from spices, and it turns out that they don't just add a flavorful twist to your holiday favorites. Each one features a combination of plant chemicals that can do everything from boosting your immunity to controlling blood sugar to improving cognitive function. Let's look at some of the hidden health benefits of the most popular winter spices you should look out for. 

Cinnamon

Whether you’re trying to add a little zing to an apple pie or cobbler or trying a more adventurous seasonal recipe, cinnamon is a go-to ingredient. It turns out that it’s not only one of the most pervasive spices, but also provides promising health benefits. A meta-analysis of 10 prior studies found that among people with type two diabetes, cinnamon lowered total and LDL (aka “bad”) cholesterol and improved lipid profile. Another study published in Food & Function speculated that cinnamic acid might act on proteins that regulate how much HDL cholesterol becomes LDL, reduce cholesterol storage, and improve fat metabolism.   

Cinnamon also has the potential to manage blood glucose levels. A study of more than 200 people with type 2 diabetes found that drinking black tea with cinnamon reduced blood sugar, possibly by lowering insulin resistance. In another study, a group of Chinese researchers stated that cinnamon has been used to help treat heart disease and “stimulates angiogenesis [the formation of new blood cells], promotes blood circulation, and wound healing.”

Ginger

From making gingerbread houses to baking a batch of ginger cookies, few spices are as popular or distinctive during the holidays as ginger. It has been a staple of Ayurveda and other native medicinal traditions for hundreds of years, due to its curative properties. Gingerols, a group of bioactive compounds found in ginger, have a calming effect in several ways. A 2022 study published in Molecules stated that they are potent anti-inflammatories that can ease the symptoms of psoriasis, colitis, and Crohn’s disease. The analgesic capabilities of gingerols have also been shown to ease pain associated with several kinds of arthritis.   

Another 2022 paper stated that gingerols have the potential to reduce the risk of degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease too. This is because they have neuroprotective effects, including insulating tissues against free radicals, healing cell damage, and reducing the production of inflammatory reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS).

Cloves

There are few things better after ice skating, skiing, or playing in the snow with your kids than a glass of warming mulled wine. Cloves are one of the spices that give this seasonal drink its rich flavor. They can also provide multiple wellness benefits. Brazilian researchers found that eugenol, a potent component of cloves, can reduce inflammation and combat damage done by free radicals. Eugenol and several other compounds have an antibacterial effect, which is why clove oil is included in some mouthwash formulas.

When it comes to micronutrients, cloves contain vitamin K and potassium and are higher in manganese than any other spice. This mineral promotes musculoskeletal health and optimal brain function. Eugenol isn’t the only powerful plant chemical in cloves. A Today’s Dietician article stated that “Just 1/2 teaspoon of ground clove is said to contain more antioxidants than 1/2 cup of blueberries.”

Nutmeg

Whether you’re enjoying flavorful desserts, hearty stews, or a comforting mug of chai, the warm, nutty notes of nutmeg add depth to plenty of seasonal dishes. Made from the seeds of a tropical tea in Indonesia, nutmeg has become a spice rack staple worldwide. Beyond its utility in the kitchen, nutmeg helps you stay healthy. The lignans it contains can help regulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism, according to a paper by Chicago State University scientists. They discovered that nutmeg is a rich source of caffeic, ferulic, and protocatechuic acids, all of which have disease-fighting effects.

The same study found that nutmeg is high in anthocyanins, a class of plant chemicals that improves brain function, boosts immunity, and supports a healthy nervous system. Animal studies have suggested that nutmeg reduces oxidative stress, thanks to the potent antioxidant myristicin that it contains. Myristicin has also been shown to combat fatigue and boost mood.

Cardamom

A staple of Arabic and Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries, cardamom has become popular in Western favorites like wintry tea blends and hearty pumpkin soup. Beyond its rich flavor, cardamom is good for you too. A 2018 study published in Molecules that looked at cardamom oil at a molecular level found that it had antimicrobial effects that could prevent food poisoning and contained antifungal and antibacterial properties.

Several years of promising animal studies on cardamom’s impact on blood pressure led researchers to conduct human trials on cardamom to see if they could recreate the effects. One three-month trial by Indian scientists found that “Administration of 3g cardamom powder significantly decreased systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure.” They also noted that participants' antioxidant levels were 90 percent higher at the end of the study than they were to begin with.