Herbs and spices are healthy and can enhance the flavor of your dishes
<div class="ExternalClass28DDBA80483D41559ECD42550283DFCE"><h2>Healthy Herbs and Spices for Cooking
</h2><p>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1404/spice-up-your-life-dried-and-tested" title="Healthy Cooking with Herbs and Spices">Flavour-enhancing ingredients</a> such as garlic, chilli, ginger, and turmeric contain nutrients and antioxidants that may be beneficial to your health and they give your food a healthy, perk too without sacrificing taste.</p><p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/spices-and-herbs.jpg" alt="Spices and Herbs" style="margin:5px;" />
</p><p>Next time you cook up a storm, try to incorporate more of these
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1403/spice-up-your-life-get-fresh-with-herbs" title="Spice Up Your Life: Get Fresh with Herbs">aromatic and flavourful ingredients</a> to your favourite dishes for a quick and easy health boost:</p><h3>Garlic
</h3><p>The humble garlic is a staple in Chinese cooking and can be consumed raw, chopped or pressed. Rich in vitamins B, C and selenium, garlic can help to stave off colds, and may help protect against oxidative damage.</p><h3>Chilli</h3><p>What is Asian cuisine without the heat of chili? The bright colour of red chili signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Chilli is also high in vitamin C, which helps to fight infection and boost immunity.</p><h3>Basil</h3><p>A highly fragrant plant often used in Thai and Italian cooking, basil comes in more than 60 varieties and is an excellent source of magnesium and vitamin K, plus a good source of copper and vitamin C. The beta-carotene found in basil may also help to lessen and may help protect against oxidative damage.</p><h3>Cinnamon</h3><p>Another fragrant, sweet and warm spice, cinnamon is a joy to add in cooking and may help to improve the digestive system. Try adding cinnamon to your coffee, desserts, and oatmeal or make a snack of cinnamon toast for a pleasant and aromatic health lift.</p><h3>Rosemary</h3><p>Paired with lamb or chicken, rosemary adds a wonderful flavour to meats but it can also be added to drinks and cakes for a herbaceous lift. Grow some at home or distill it into essential oil for easy access to its health benefits including improving memory and boosting immunity.</p><p>
<strong>Related:
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1403/spice-up-your-life-get-fresh-with-herbs" title="Spice Up Your Life: Get Fresh With Herbs">Spice Up Your Life: Get Fresh With Herbs</a></strong></p><h2>Healthy Recipes
</h2><p>Need some inspiration? Check out these
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/54/recipes" title="Recipes for Home-Cooked Goodness">healthy dishes</a> that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.</p><h3>Tossed Prawn Noodles with Spinach Chips</h3><p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/Tossed-Prawn-Noodles-with-Spinach-Chips-2.jpg" alt="Tossed Prawn Noodles with Spinach Chips" style="margin:5px;width:320px;height:225px;" />
</p><p>An inventive health-conscious dish that combines Eastern and Western flavours with the addition of air-fried spinach chips.</p><p>Why it’s good for you:</p><ul><li>
<strong>Coriander and Spinach</strong>
With the leaves rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, protein and small amounts of other minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, which are good for building strong bones and teeth, coriander and spinach provide strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.</li><li>
<strong>Whole Wheat Mee Sua</strong>
Replacing white flour noodles, whole wheat mee sua is
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1049/more-fibre-for-a-fit-and-fabulous-you" title="More Fibre for a Fit and Fabulous You">higher in fibre</a>, vitamin E and vitamin B6.</li></ul><p>View the recipe for
<a href="http://www.healthhub.sg/sites/assets/Assets/Programs/shophealthy_recipes/Tossed-Prawn-Noodles-with-Spinach-Chips.pdf" title="Tossed Prawn Noodle With Spinach Chips Recipe">Tossed Prawn Noodles with Spinach Chips</a> [PDF].</p><p>
<strong>Related:
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/538/broccoli-with-assorted-mushroom" title="Wok Fried Broccoli with Assorted Mushroom">Wok Fried Broccoli with Assorted Mushroom</a></strong></p><h3>Spiced Stuffed Capsicums</h3><p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/spiced_stuffed_capsicums.jpg" alt="Spiced Stuffed Capsicums" style="margin:5px;width:320px;height:263px;" />
</p><p>This brightly coloured dish is both pleasing to the eyes and waistline. A medley of vegetables and rice stuffed in a capsicum is great and handy for fussy children. Simply remove the meat for a vegetarian version.</p><p>Why it’s good for you:</p><ul><li>
<strong>Capsicum</strong>
Bright-coloured vegetables such as capsicums not only add vibrancy to a dish, they are also rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which is important for healthy skin and good eye vision. Capsicums also contain high amounts of B-complex vitamins and C, which are vital for cellular metabolism.</li><li>
<strong>Ginger</strong>
Gingerols, the main active components in ginger, and the ones responsible for its distinctive flavour are beneficial in treating ailments such as nausea, digestion, flu and cold and more. Boil it with water to make a soothing tea, or add some to your cold-press juices for a spicy and healthy
<em>zing</em>.</li></ul><p>View the recipe for
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/sites/assets/Assets/Programs/shophealthy_recipes/spiced_stuffed_capsicums.pdf" title="Spiced Stuffed Capsicums Recipe">Spiced Stuffed Capsicums</a> [PDF].</p><p>
<strong>Related:
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/534/eight-treasure-pilaf" title="Eight Treasure Pilaf">Eight Treasure Pilaf</a></strong></p><h3>Tandoori Chicken Curry with Pomegranate Mint Yoghurt Salad</h3><p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/Tandoori-Chicken-Curry-with-Pomegranate-Mint-Yoghurt-Salad-2.jpg" alt="Tandoori Chicken Curry" style="margin:5px;width:320px;height:320px;" />
</p><p>A healthy twist to the traditional tandoori chicken curry, this dish is paired with a light and refreshing salad so that it is less heavy on the stomach.</p><p>Why it’s good for you:</p><ul><li>
<strong>Curry</strong>
The spice mix of curry powder has a multitude of health benefits. Usually containing a blend of ginger, garlic, fennel, turmeric, coriander, cardamom and more, curry powders help in appetite – just watch the coconut milk!</li><li>
<strong>Yoghurt</strong>
Containing the healthy bacteria, probiotics, yoghurt can help boost your immune system and relieve digestive issues such as gas, diarrhea and pain. It is also high in calcium for good bone health. Choose low-fat or HCS yoghurt as a lighter version.</li></ul><p>View the recipe for
<a href="http://www.healthhub.sg/sites/assets/Assets/Programs/shophealthy_recipes/Tandoori-Chicken-Curry-with-Pomegranate-Mint-Yoghurt-Salad.pdf" title="Tandoori Chicken Curry with Pomegranete Mint Yoghurt Salad Recipe">Tandoori Chicken Curry with Pomegranate Mint Yoghurt Salad</a> [PDF].</p><p>
<strong>Related:
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1540/red-snapper-in-tomato-herb-stock" title="Red Snapper in Tomato Herb Stock">Red Snapper in Tomato Herb Stock</a></strong></p><h3>Healthy Brown Rice Bee Hoon Mee Soto</h3><p style="text-align:center;">
<img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Food%20N%20Nutrition/Healthy-Brown-Rice-Bee-Hoon-Soto-2.jpg" alt="Healthy Brown Rice Bee Hoon Soto" style="margin:5px;width:320px;height:226px;" />
</p><p>A healthier version of the hawker-favourite
<em>Soto</em>, this dish features many wonderful herbs and spices to provide a kick of taste and nutrition without relying on any soy sauce or salt. Sweet lemongrass, coriander roots, and spicy galangal add depth to the soup, while a blend of spices such as nutty cumin seeds, warming cloves, and star anise gives the dish its unique and complex flavour profile.</p><p>Why it’s good for you:</p><ul><li>
<strong>Turmeric</strong>
Tumeric, a spice essential to curry, has a bitter, slightly aromatic taste. It is frequently used to add colour to food.</li><li>
<strong>Fennel</strong>
With a distinctive liquorice-like flavour, fennel lifts this dish aromatically while supporting good heart health, thanks to its high content of fibre, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and phytonutrient content.</li><li>
<strong>Brown Rice Bee Hoon</strong>
Brown rice bee hoon contains more fibre than regular white bee hoon – there is 4.6g per 100g of fibre in brown rice bee hoon, compared with just 1.7g per 100g in white bee hoon.</li></ul><p>View the recipe for
<a href="http://www.healthhub.sg/sites/assets/Assets/Programs/shophealthy_recipes/Healthy-Brown-Rice-Bee-Hoon-Soto.pdf" title="Healthy Brown Rice Bee Hoon Soto Recipe">Healthy Brown Rice Bee Hoon Soto</a> [PDF].</p><hr /><p>
<strong>Read these next:</strong></p><ul><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1118/the-oily-truth" title="Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Is There A Difference?">Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Is There A Difference?</a></li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1908/rendang-ayam" title="Cooking with Chef Mel Dean... Rendang Ayam">Cooking with Chef Mel Dean... Rendang Ayam</a> </li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1404/spice-up-your-life-dried-and-tested" title="Healthy Cooking with Herbs and Spices">Healthy Cooking with Herbs and Spices</a> </li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/750/who-says-healthy-food-cant-taste-good" title="Who Says Healthy Food Can’t Taste Good?">Who Says Healthy Food Can’t Taste Good?</a></li><li>
<a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1415/lets-get-saucy" title="Let’s Get Saucy!">Let’s Get Saucy!</a>
</li></ul></div>
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Thursday, May 10, 2018
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Thursday, December 1, 2022
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Healthy Herbs and Spices for Cooking
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