Food as Medicine and Spicy Scrambled Eggs

One of my passions has always been cooking.  As an herbalist I love looking for creative ways to get herbs into each and every meal.  Herbs not only convey their wonderful aroma and flavor, but also allow us the opportunity to incorporate their medicinal virtues into our daily lives.

Although, the quantity of the herbs we use in cooking are usually not enough to be considered for over coming chronic illnesses, their daily use is certainly beneficial for maintaining or improving overall health and preventing more chronic illnesses from arising.

Here is a wonderfully tasty dish that I enjoy having for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This recipe can be “tweeked” to your liking and you can experiment with different herbs that may suit your own taste.  Take a look at the information below the recipe as I will discuss the health benefits of the ingredients.

SPICED UP SCRAMBLED EGGS AND SPINACH

2-3 Eggs (scrambled)

1/2 – 1 cup of raw spinach

1 tbsp of oil

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds (black or yellow)

1/8 tsp Turmeric powder

1/8 tsp Black pepper

Sea Salt to taste (Optional)

Instructions:

Add Turmeric and black pepper to eggs, scramble the eggs and set aside.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet and add Cumin and Mustard seeds.  When mustard seeds begin to pop add the spinach and saute until wilted.  Pour the eggs over the spinach and spices and cook until firm.  Remove from the pan, add a little salt and enjoy.

EGGS – Eggs are considered a “Complete” protein which means they contain a substantial amount of all of the essential amino acids our bodies need.   These amino acids are essential because the body does not manufacture them and they must come from our diets.  Amino acids are basically building blocks which are broken down into proteins and used in every cell of the body.  These proteins help to build and repair muscles, bone, cartilage  and other tissues and manufacture hormones and enzymes.  Eggs also include the full spectrum of B vitamins that we don’t always get from other foods as well as various other nutrients to include selenium, iodine, and essential fatty acids.

SPINACH –  Spinach contains a slew of compounds that help to reduce inflammation and are known to prevent cancer.  Spinach is also an excellent source of antioxidants which help to prevent cell damage and may be beneficial in reducing the risk of various diseases to include atherosclerosis and macular degeneration.  Spinach is choke full of vitamins and minerals to include high levels of vitamin K which helps maintain bone health.

CUMIN SEEDS – Cumin is a bitter and pungent herb which helps to stimulate digestion, prevent gas and bloating and promote circulation.  Cumin seeds are also a very good source of iron and manganese.

MUSTARD SEEDS – Mustard is also a pungent herb which helps to improve digestion and stimulate circulation.  Mustard not only helps strengthen the metabolism but also helps in the elimination of toxins or metabolic accumulations.

TURMERIC –  The benefits of Turmeric are astounding.  Turmeric  is beneficial for all tissues with an affinity for the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems. Turmeric not only improves digestion, but also helps to balance intestinal flora, helps to reduce inflammation, and may help to reduce the incidences and growth of various cancers.

BLACK PEPPER –  Most people don’t often think of black pepper as having medicinal benefits, however, black pepper is extremely beneficial in helping the body to eliminate accumulated toxins and promote digestion and circulation.  Black pepper when added to other spices also increases the bio-availability of the medicinal constituents of those herbs.

SEA SALT – Salt really does get a bad rap.  However, mineral salts such as sea salt and sea vegetables promote digestion, is moistening to dry tissues and somewhat sedating to the nerves.

Like I mentioned before you may not be able to overcome a chronic illness by adding small amounts of herbs and spices to your meals.  However, the benefits of  small amounts of herbs and spices are cumulative and may help prevent diseases from arising.  Some of the benefits of adding these spices as I mentioned may include increased circulation, better and improved digestion, elimination of toxic accumulations, improved intestinal flora, reduced inflammation and perhaps the prevention of various cancers. So…..SPICE IT UP!!