Spices: We start from the cumin and at the top cinnamon!

“Spices for me are the ladies of the kitchen. The aristocratic ladies who do not easily accept people close to them who do not belong to their circle “says in the introduction of her book Maria Ekmektsioglou, Politisa magirissa.

Food is not just “fuel”, it is travel. Every bite must have the power to amaze, to “pull” you from today and to “connect” you with yesterday. It is a journey of tastes, memories and nostalgia. In this journey the condiments appear, or rather play the leading role.

Every kind of spice, every shade and aroma masterfully enriches our gastronomic creations and contributes to the uniqueness of each recipe. After all, what would food be without it? Immaculate, indifferent and uniform.

Apart from the delectable taste they offer, however, spices also contribute to good health, as they have multiple benefits for the body. All of them are rich in antioxidants, slowing down the aging process, but each of them “writes its own story”.

Cumin

Cumin is one of the spices that you cannot miss in the food. It has an intense, oriental taste and is combined mainly with meat, taking off the gastronomic experience. It is rich in iron, vitamin A & C and helps in the process of digestion, weight loss, and better control of blood sugar and cholesterol, while also being effective against asthma and bronchitis.

Ginger

Ginger is a medicine for the abdomen, as our grandmothers used to say. It soothes the feeling of nausea by relieving the “upset” stomach. It also helps reduce the sticky texture of the blood, thus reducing the formation of blood clots. The benefits of consumption extend to both lowering cholesterol and slowing atherosclerosis.

Carnation

Upon hearing this, images are pulled from Sunday tables with braised veal that has been scented the whole neighborhood. Of course, carnation belongs to the category of spices that as easily as we can see in a savory recipe, we also find it in sweet versions, such as carob breadsticks and Dinkel cookies with orange from Ntourountous bakery. It is worth emphasizing that it acts against inflammation, germs and cancerous tumors of the digestive tract.

Kozani saffron

In recent years it is widely used in recipes, and almost every home has it in the forefront with spices, and not unjustly. Kozani yolk or saffron is a superfood with anti-aging and anti-cancer properties, while also helping the proper functioning of the brain and memory, making it the ideal condiment for people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Oregano

What is more classic and favorite than oregano? It tastes everything, whether you put it in a salad, or in a soup or in pies, it takes the food to the next level. Here in Crete we have been cultivating it for years now, enjoying high quality oregano with -almost- seductive aroma. It is a good source of antioxidants, such as thymol and rosmarinic acid, while also offering antibacterial activity. Try the handmade traditional products of Ntourountous Bakery with oregano that will surely excite you. We suggest three alternatives.

Turmeric

Turmeric with its golden color, thanks to curcumin, can easily be described as one of the most beneficial condiments. First of all, curcumin helps significantly in the detoxification of the body by facilitating the function of the liver. It also reduces the pain of arthritis and dental procedures. In addition, it is recommended for use by patients with neoplastic diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. Have you ever imagined it in a crunchy, savory snack? Well, we envisioned it for you, and the experiment succeeded. The toasted bread with turmeric & mustard, without preservatives, is waiting for you to try it.

Paprika

Sweet, smoky or spicy? Whichever we use will go extremely well with meat or various savory snacks. We prefer intense flavors that will give our palate an exotic experience. That is why we recommend the toasted bread with tomato & paprika. If you have not tried it yet, you do not know what you are missing! Apart from the taste, you also lose an excellent source of vitamin A, E, B6 and iron. It also has evidence that those who eat paprika are almost half as likely to get Parkinson’s disease.

Anise

Anise is a nutritionally valuable plant that is characterized as a diuretic, expectorant, digestive, and antiphysical. With anti-inflammatory action, it strengthens the body’s immune system and gives a peaceful sleep! Taste all its benefits in the most enjoyable way, in almond & anise cookies from Ntourountous Bakery.

Cocoa

Young and old love it. With this we create fantastic desserts and delicious chocolate drinks, but cocoa is not just a pleasure. It is also health! It is an excellent source of flavonoids and antioxidants that help the proper functioning of the heart system, while minimizing cholesterol and blood pressure. Not bad at all!

Cinnamon

I left her for last. Not, because it lags behind the rest of the spices. Exactly the opposite, cinnamon is the queen of spices and I wanted to close with her. Its wonderful aroma dominates in dozens of recipes, sweet and savory. It offers an accent of calm and balance, since it is considered both sweet and bitter. Especially when added to baked goods, the taste and aroma are simply not described, just like in the Ntourountous honey & walnuts cookies. Its main feature is that it is an effective regulator of cholesterol and sugar. At the same time, it helps significantly in digestion and sexual impotence. It is no coincidence, after all, that it is contained in many aphrodisiac recipes!

Of course, the spices that are worth including in our diet are not the only ones! There are dozens of spices, the more we can include in our daily diet, the more we will gain. To close, I suggest you choose your spices in small quantities and in bulk form; it is better to avoid supermarkets. Travel with the perfumes that will release, as soon as you put them in the mortar to break them and let the house musk with tradition, authenticity and warmth!