Health Benefits of Spices
Biodiversity, including spices, is one of the pride of the Indonesian nation, which occupies the second position, after Brazil, as the country with the largest biodiversity in the world. So, don’t be surprised if it’s used medicinal herbs of plants / plants has become a tradition in this Mother Earth.
What makes spices so healthy?
“Active compounds or also known as bioactive compounds have an important role in improving health and wellness (preventive or promotive) or even cure a disease (curative),” he explained. Prof. Dr. Nuri Andarwulan, MSc, teaching staff of the Department of Food Science and Technology, IPB, as well as researchers at the SEAFAST Center.
Most of the active compounds are found in vegetable materials (especially spices) so they are also known as phytochemical compounds. However, recent research has shown that bioactive compounds are also found in fisheries and aquatic products, such as omega fatty acids (EPA, DHA) in deep sea fish. In this case, food ingredients are not only a source of food, but also have other functions.
Most bioactive compounds are not nutrients (nutrients only include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals). “However, there are several nutrients that have bioactive properties, such as peptides (protein pieces), fatty acids, spingonyelin,” said Nuri.
Regarding the effective dosage of bioactive compounds in natural ingredients, a comprehensive test is still needed. “Basically, bioactive compounds in natural sources are small in number and are still bound to other compounds. Because of that, over-consumption has never been found. What needs to be considered is if the bioactive compounds are in the form of supplements or nutritionals. Pay attention to the recommended dosage because the active compound in this product is a very high concentrate, “explained Nuri.
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