My grandmother was Top Chef in the house when I was growing up.

“There’s no such thing as too much pepper,” she always said, ignoring our sneezes as she sprinkled pepper without abandon into soups, salads, and stews.

“Not enough salt,” was Grandma’s other firm proclamation when it came to seasonings. Blissfully ignorant about any correlation between too much salt and hypertension, she added salt to every meal, from eggs at breakfast, to cottage cheese at noon and meat loaf for dinner.

Now, as I complete my M.S. in nutrition, I know that not only can too much salt harm your health -- but also some spices can actually improve your well-being.

Seduced by Cinnamon
One of my personal favorites is cinnamon. I sprinkle it on yogurt in the morning, enjoy it mixed with applesauce for a mid-morning snack and even spice up my sugar-free hot cocoa with a dash of cinnamon. The plus factor? This tasty spice has been shown to help with regard to diabetes and related conditions.

Ann Kulze, M.D. is CEO of the nutrition and wellness consulting firm, Just Wellness, LLC, and author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet. In addition to her M.D., Dr. Ann holds a cum laude degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Clemson University.

“Cinnamon has recently won enthusiastic acclaim for its ability to boost insulin sensitivity and improve cholesterol metabolism,” she says. “These properties are especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome.” She suggests sprinkling about one-half teaspoon onto foods such as oatmeal, toast and coffee.

In addition to cinnamon, Dr. Ann recommends garlic, which “contains medicinal plant compounds called allyl sulfides that boost cardiovascular health by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, in addition to lowering blood pressure and thinning the blood. These same plant chemicals also have well-documented immune-boosting properties, making garlic the perfect spice for cold and flu season. To maximize the goodness in garlic, use it freshly chopped or minced and add it to your foods at the end of cooking.

Rejoice in the Zest of Ginger
If you love the zest that ginger can bring to foods such as pumpkin pie, you’ll rejoice when you learn about the health value of this potent spice. Ginger contains “plant chemicals called xanthines that have very potent anti-inflammatory properties,” explains Dr. Ann. Because “excess inflammation in the body is a driver of most chronic diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, some cancers and even skin wrinkling,” ginger is one of the top-rated spices for preventing diseases. In addition, the phytochemicals in ginger are valuable for boosting immunity, especially to combat viral infections and for combating nausea.

For optimal results, include ginger in your diet regularly. To enjoy ginger in a variety of ways, Dr. Ann recommends chopping up fresh ginger root into foods ranging from salad dressing to seafood. Use candied ginger as a snack, pickled ginger as a condiment or ginger tea steeped with a piece of chopped ginger. Even stronger than fresh ginger is dried, powdered ginger, which you can use for cooking or for spicing up dishes such as applesauce, just as you use cinnamon.

Try These, Too!
Sniff peppermint to “boost alertness and decrease fatigue,” Dr. Ann says. Want to protect yourself against cancer and Alzheimer’s, or ease arthritis pain? Then Dr. Ann suggests curry or turmeric, two spices filled with a yellow pigment called curcumin, “one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatory agents ever identified. For a boost of color and health, sprinkle curry or turmeric over bean dishes, poultry, tofu or rice.”

Heat up your life with spices made from hot peppers like chili pepper, wasabi, cayenne pepper, etc. -- all of which Dr. Ann says can boost our moods. “These hot spices stimulate the pain receptors in the mouth, which, in turn, results in the release of endorphins within the nervous system. Endorphins are the body’s natural morphine-like chemicals that promote a feeling of euphoria and enhanced well-being.”