Spice of life - goodnews - many herbs and spices likely to have high concentration of antioxidants - Brief Article

Oregano, sage, peppermint, garden thyme, lemon balm, clove, allspice and cinnamon--as well as the Chinese medicinal herbs Cinnamomi cortex and Scutellariae radix--contain very high concentrations of antioxidants, a new study concludes.

In fact, spices may be an even better source of dietary antioxidants than many other food groups such as fruits, berries, cereals and vegetables, according to the study published last May in the Journal of Nutrition.

Antioxidants mop up some of the "free radicals" in the body, which are essentially molecular garbage bits that alter normal cells, making them age or become cancerous. (See "Radical Solutions," p. 56).

However, the study also found a 1,000-fold variation in antioxidant concentrations among herbs and spices--and even if such concentrations are high, consumers should remember that normal portions are extremely small.

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