Spices are aromatic, whole, chopped or ground vegetable products whose most important function is to preserve and flavor foods. Spices are mustard, cinnamon, saffron, clove, nutmeg, pepper ...
Aromatic herbs differ from spices because their content in essential oils is lower, they usually come from warm climates, while spices come from tropical and subtropical climates and provide a more delicate smell and taste than of spices Parsley, fennel, basil, bay leaf, thyme are considered aromatic herbs
Many herbs and spices, as well as their bioactive components have been investigated for their potential for the prevention and treatment of diseases in doses that could exceed those commonly used for the preparation. Food.
It is very difficult to estimate the consumption of spices and herbs, since they usually accompany other food products, as part of their culinary elaboration. In addition, some chemical compounds present in these spices and herbs have a short half-life, and their concentration in these products depends on numerous factors, such as the species, the crop or the processing to which they are subjected. Herbs and spices.
Currently, the role of spices in cancer prevention is of interest. It is known that spices and herbs have a number of health effects that could be related to the prevention of cancer. Here are some of them:
Antimicrobial and antifungal activity:
It is due to the essential oils content of spices. Spices, in the same way that inhibit the growth of some bacterial species, stimulate the growth of others. Although the mechanisms by which spices and herbs attack microorganisms are not well known, they are known to damage the cell membrane of bacteria and their genetic material. One of the bacteria associated with cancer progression, especially gastric cancer, is Helicobacter pylori, in fact, it is included in group I of carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. More studies are needed to know what doses of spices and herbs would be necessary to achieve the desired effect, in this case, an antimicrobial activity that prevented the development of certain cancers such as those associated with Helicobacter pylori infections.
Helicobacter pylori
Antioxidant capacity:
One study found that among the 50 foods that had antioxidants were, the first 5 were dried spices (ground cloves, dried oregano, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and turmeric powder). However, compared to other food categories included in that study, herbs and spices had a wide range of antioxidant capacity; from 0.803 to 125.549 mmol / 100g. It has been epidemiologically proven that there is a relationship between dietary intake of antioxidants and lower morbidity and mortality. Antioxidants are able to prevent or delay the oxidation of other molecules, which generates free radicals. When these are in larger quantities than the human body can detoxify, what is known as "oxidative stress" occurs. This is related to numerous diseases and is known to cause damage to cells, such as lesions in the genetic material that can cause mutations and contribute to the development of cancer.
Inflammation:
It has been estimated that approximately 15% of cancers are related to inflammation. In vitro studies indicate that numerous herbs and spices, or some of their bioactive components, could inhibit and sometimes induce numerous enzyme systems related to the pathways that regulate inflammation and the immune response. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), among which aspirin is found, administered on a regular basis appear to be associated with a decrease in the risk of colon cancer, however, the numerous side effects they generate, including hemorrhages gastrointestinal, make spices and herbs an attractive alternative, so it is important to further investigate their action.
Anti-tumor mechanisms:
In different studies, the role of herbs and spices on numerous transcription-related complexes and on different DNA transcription factors related to the development of tumors has been investigated. Among the most studied spices and herbs that seem to be of great importance in relation to antitumor mechanisms are fennel, dill and turmeric.
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Spices and herbs
