The 10 Healthiest Spices, and What the Research Actually Says

Most studies on the health benefits of spices test concentrated extracts or supplements, often in doses far larger than anything you would cook with. A teaspoon of turmeric in a curry is not the same thing as a 500 mg curcumin capsule.

So think about spices the way a good cook does. Use them generously, often, and in variety. Let them carry flavor that would otherwise come from extra salt, sugar, or heavy sauces. That swap alone is a real benefit, and it needs no clinical trial to prove it.

If you are considering spice supplements, talk to your doctor first. Several of them interact with common medications, and we flag the big ones at the end.

The oldest surviving medical texts read like spice lists. The Ebers Papyrus, written in Egypt around 1550 BCE, records hundreds of plant remedies, with garlic among them. Traditional Indian medicine has used turmeric, ginger, and pepper for thousands of years. For most of human history, the line between the kitchen and the apothecary was thin, and often it did not exist at all.

We tell that full story, from cure to flavor, in A Short History of Spices. For now, here are the ten spices with the most research behind them.

The golden root behind curry's color, and the spice with the most research attention on this list. Its best-known compound is curcumin.

What the research says: A lot has been studied. Less has been proven than the headlines suggest. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the NIH, says there is not enough evidence to conclude that turmeric or curcumin helps with any specific health condition overall. There is one bright spot. A 2021 systematic review of 10 studies with 1,287 participants found turmeric may ease knee osteoarthritis pain and improve function about as well as common anti-inflammatory drugs. Researchers also note that curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own, which is where the next spice comes in.

How to use it: Warm it in a little oil before adding liquid, and pair it with black pepper. We explain why that pairing matters in Turmeric and Black Pepper: Why This Old Pairing Works.

A knobby root with a bright, warming bite, used in cooking and medicine across Asia for thousands of years. Its main active compounds are called gingerols.

What the research says: Ginger's best-supported use is nausea, with real limits. NCCIH says ginger may help with mild nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. For nausea from cancer chemotherapy, a 2019 review of 18 studies with more than 1,600 participants found mixed results. And despite its reputation, there is no strong evidence that ginger helps with motion sickness. Side effects are usually mild: heartburn, gas, or an upset stomach in some people.

How to use it: Grate fresh ginger into stir-fries, soups, and hot water with lemon. Fresh ginger tastes brighter. Ground ginger tastes warmer and works better in baking.

The inner bark of a tropical tree, rolled into quills as it dries. Two kinds dominate: cassia, the most common in American stores, and Ceylon, sometimes called true cinnamon.

What the research says: Cinnamon is best known for a possible effect on blood sugar, and the evidence conflicts. NCCIH points to a 2012 Cochrane review that found insufficient evidence for cinnamon in diabetes, and a 2019 analysis of 16 studies that found it lowered fasting blood sugar but not HbA1c, the longer-term marker doctors watch. The studies vary so much in dose, length, and design that no clear conclusion is possible yet.

One safety note. Cassia contains coumarin, which in large amounts may cause or worsen liver problems. Normal cooking amounts are generally fine. If you use a lot of cinnamon every day, Ceylon contains only trace amounts.

How to use it: Oatmeal, coffee, chili, and roasted squash. Cinnamon adds a sense of sweetness, which makes it easy to use a little less sugar.

Technically a bulb, but garlic lives in every spice drawer as powder, flakes, and granules, and in every kitchen as fresh cloves.

What the research says: Garlic has been studied mostly for heart health, and the results are modest. NCCIH says limited evidence suggests garlic supplements may lower blood pressure slightly in people who have high blood pressure, and may modestly lower cholesterol when taken for more than two months. Those effects are small next to prescription medication, and there is no evidence that garlic supplements prevent heart disease.

How to use it: Crush or chop fresh garlic and let it sit a few minutes before it hits the heat. Crushing sets off the reaction that creates allicin, the compound behind garlic's smell and much of its studied activity.

Dried flower buds from a tree native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, once so valuable that nations fought over them. Their warm, slightly numbing flavor comes from a compound called eugenol.

What the research says: In the lab, cloves are a standout. Studies find strong antioxidant activity and broad antibacterial effects, largely credited to eugenol. Eugenol has also been used in dentistry for generations, which is where the old clove-for-a-toothache remedy comes from. Human trials on eating cloves are scarce, so treat the lab results as interesting rather than proven.

How to use it: A few whole cloves go a long way in rice, glazed ham, mulled cider, and spice rubs. Clove oil is far more concentrated than the whole spice and is not meant to be swallowed in large amounts.

The hand-picked threads of a crocus flower, and by weight the most expensive spice in the world. It takes tens of thousands of flowers to make a single pound.

What the research says: Saffron has some of the more interesting human research on this list, mostly around mood. Earlier meta-analyses of randomized trials found saffron extract improved symptoms of mild to moderate depression compared with placebo. A 2024 meta-analysis of 8 studies, published in Nutrition Reviews, found no significant difference between saffron and common antidepressants (SSRIs) in reducing symptoms, with fewer side effects in the saffron groups. These studies use standardized extracts, not a pinch in paella, and they are not a reason to stop or swap any medication. That conversation belongs with your doctor.

How to use it: Steep a few threads in warm water or broth for about 10 minutes before adding them. A little colors and scents an entire pot.

Small, golden seeds with a flavor somewhere between celery and maple syrup. Fenugreek is even used to make imitation maple flavoring.

What the research says: NCCIH considers fenugreek safe in the amounts found in food. It has been studied for blood sugar and for breast milk supply. Results for milk supply are mixed, and research on blood sugar is ongoing. One important caution: fenugreek is not considered safe during pregnancy in amounts greater than those found in food, because it has been linked to birth defects.

How to use it: Toast the seeds lightly in a dry pan for dals, curries, and spice blends. Watch them closely. Fenugreek turns bitter if it burns.

Rosemary. Rich in antioxidant compounds. Studies have found that rosemary in marinades can reduce some of the harmful compounds that form when meat is grilled at high heat.

Oregano. In a well-known Cornell study of traditional recipes from 36 countries, oregano was one of a handful of spices that inhibited every type of bacteria it was tested against. It is a lab finding, but a striking one.

Cardamom. A pillar of traditional medicine in South Asia and the Middle East, used for digestion for centuries. Human research is still thin.

You do not need a supplement aisle. You need a few habits.

• Let spice replace some salt. Garlic, pepper, cumin, and chili bring flavor that makes a lower-salt dish taste finished.
• Pair turmeric with black pepper and a little fat. It is how cooks have done it for centuries, and the research agrees.
• Crush garlic, then wait. A few minutes on the cutting board before cooking.
• Dust cooked greens with mustard powder. The broccoli trick above works for most of its cousins.
• Toast whole spices. A minute in a dry pan wakes up cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and mustard seed.
• Replace ground spices yearly. Flavor fades on the shelf. If a spice does not smell like much, it will not taste like much.

Spices in cooking amounts are safe for nearly everyone. Supplements are a different category, and a few cautions come up again and again in the research:

• Blood thinners. Garlic, ginger, and turmeric supplements may affect bleeding and interact with blood-thinning medication. Tell your doctor before taking them.
• Pregnancy. Fenugreek beyond food amounts is not considered safe during pregnancy.
• Your liver. Highly absorbable curcumin formulations may harm the liver, and large daily amounts of cassia cinnamon carry a coumarin risk.
• Medication swaps. No spice replaces a prescribed medication. The saffron and garlic studies above are not a reason to change your treatment.

The healthiest spices are not miracle cures, and the honest research says so. They are something better for everyday life: small, affordable, delicious ways to eat a little better at every meal. People understood that thousands of years before anyone ran a trial.

The 78 team believes food is one of the most important tools we have for taking care of our bodies, and that a lot of it starts with gut health. Spices have been used for generations, not only to flavor food but to support the body, and we think they belong in your daily diet: in your eggs, on your salads, even in your drinks. Just know your spices. Every body processes food differently, so learn which ones work for you and which ones your body does not need.

That thinking shows up in what we make:

• 78 Yellow Mustard is mustard-seed rich, and its yellow comes from the seed itself, not a dye.
• 78 Spicy Mustard gets its warmth from real peppers.
• 78 Spicy Ketchup layers real peppers over a 78% tomato base.
• 78 Original Ketchup keeps it simple: 78% tomatoes and real sugar.

78 spices are coming soon. We are bringing the same real-ingredient approach behind our ketchup and mustard to a line of spices, under the 78 Brand umbrella.