ABSTRACT

Although spices are added in such small quantities to flavor foods and drinks that their caloric values are negligible, their important chemical compounds and antioxidant activities can offer health pro­ motion and protection from diseases. Consuming spiced foods often leads to greater thermogenesis and in some cases to greater satiety. Antioxidant spices greatly reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ox­ idation and modulate the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Several spices or their extracts have also been found to inhibit platelet aggregation. Thus these spices can be considered functional agents and nutraceuticals that could help in preventing diseases and obesity.