The baker's trio: our favorite holiday spices do double duty as flavorings and healers - therapeutic uses of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg

Vegetarian Times, Dec, 1997 by Robyn Landis

The holiday season is upon us, and once again sweet spices are being put to use: pungent cinnamon for pies and potpourri, zesty cloves for your cocoa, and freshly ground nutmeg for your eggnog and insomnia.

Insomnia?! That's right. While this sleep-inducing application might raise a Western eyebrow or two, Asians have been using spices medicinally for thousands of years. In Ayurveda (India's 5,000-year-old medical system) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), aromatic herbs are considered essential for treating disease and promoting longevity. And spices like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg are versatile healers with long, rich histories of use.

Modern studies corroborate this ancient wisdom. Research shows these three herbs share a number of naturally occurring chemical compounds that make them virtually interchangeable as warming agents, digestives, tonics, analgesics and antiseptics, as well as circulation enhancers, decongestants and cardiac tonics (for atherosclerosis, angina and high blood pressure).

Eastern healers view herbs in terms of energetics (warming or cooling; drying or moistening). Cinnamon, clove and nutmeg belong to the category of warming herbs, which (from the Chinese perspective) help expand and relax what is contracted, and open up what is congested (much like how steam opens up blocked nasal passages).

Taste is another way that the Asian systems categorize herbs, and the pungent ones are recognized as having specific healing properties. Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine in Portland, Ore., and author of numerous books on Ayurveda and TCM, explains that the Chinese consider herbs with strong xiang (fragrance) to regulate the flow of qi (vital energy) and alleviate stagnation of fluids or toxins--the primary cause of disease or dysfunction in the body. "In the Chinese view, many of our most common diseases involve congestion or abnormal circulation of qi (pronounced CHEE) and blood," he says.

Here we discuss cinnamon, clove and nutmeg and the ailments that respond to each. (See "Making Your Own Remedies," for information on how to prepare them.)

CINNAMON (Cinnamomum cassia)

A kitchen favorite for its piquancy, cinnamon is one of the oldest-known healing herbs. Three-thousand-year-old Chinese herbal texts cite it as an effective treatment for fever, menstrual problems and diarrhea. Today, James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of such herbal guides as The Green Pharmacy (Rodale Press, 1997), has isolated the phytochemicals in hundreds of herbs, discovering even more applications for cinnamon. "In cinnamon you'll find anesthetic and anodyne [painkilling] compounds, which would explain their use for arthritis, pain and cramps. Cinnamon's anti-aggregant [blood-thinning] compounds help stimulate circulation, and its anti-inflammatory compounds relieve arthritis." The spice also helps ward off urinary tract infections, tooth decay and gum disease.

Congestion: Cinnamon contains compounds that help dissolve mucus. In studies, it's been shown to relieve sinus and lung congestion and coughs accompanied by phlegm. Take 5 capsules or make a tea.

Digestion: A traditional Eastern remedy for indigestion, cinnamon warms the system and increases circulation to the digestive tract. For nausea, take 2 to 6 capsules or make a tea. For diarrhea, take 2 to 10 capsules as needed.

Menstrual cramps: Because it increases circulation to the uterus, cinnamon has proved invaluable in treating painful menstrual cramps. It's best to begin to "saturate" your body one to three days prior to menses. Start with 4 to 8 capsules per day until your period begins. If that isn't enough, try taking 2 more capsules, increasing the dosage until you reach the minimum that provides relief This may be as much as 15 capsules a day for one or two days.

Osteoarthritis: Like turmeric and ginger, cinnamon is a favored Ayurvedic osteoarthritis remedy. Take up to 15 capsules per day to warm up cold, stiff joints and boost circulation. But for the hot, inflamed joints of rheumatoid arthritis, caution is advised with this warming herb, which can exacerbate the condition. Some people, however, have found smaller doses to bring some relief.

Bleeding: Cinnamon is a superb styptic (anti-bleeding agent) and antihemorrhageal. Lise Alschuler, a naturopathic physician and chair of botanical medicine at Bastyr University in Bothell, Wash., recommends it for excessive menstrual and gastrointestinal bleeding. To treat minor cuts, nicks and scratches, wash the area thoroughly, then sprinkle on a little powdered cinnamon. Once the bleeding has stopped, wash the spice off to prevent infection.

CLOVE (Eugenia caryophyllus)

Americans may associate clove with pies or cookies, but Ayurvedic physicians rely on it to heal respiratory and digestive disorders, and Chinese doctors use it to treat everything from athlete's foot to indigestion. (Its legendary powers as an aphrodisiac have never been backed up scientifically.)

Toothache: Oil of clove (available commercially) is the premier natural toothache remedy. Rub a cotton swab dipped in oil of clove on the affected area and surrounding tissue, or suck on a whole clove. For teething babies, gently apply a diluted drop from your finger and gradually increase the dose as needed.