Christmas time is cookie time. But while children usually pounce on gingerbread, cinnamon stars and speculoos with wide eyes, parents often have concerns. After all, Christmas spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are not entirely harmless. However, those who don’t overdo it with their sweet tooth and are informed about the ingredients of the cookies have nothing to fear. On the contrary – enjoyed in moderation, many Christmas spices even have health-promoting effects. An overview of cinnamon, clove, cardamom and Co. provides information about the good and bad sides of the six most popular Christmas spices.
Cinnamon – the classic among the Christmas spices.
Cinnamon is indispensable for cinnamon stars, gingerbread and spice slices. With its intense smell, cinnamon is almost the epitome of a Christmas spice. However, the flavoring agent coumarin, which is responsible for the characteristic cinnamon taste, is controversial. It is said to damage the liver and even have a carcinogenic effect. This is also true, but only if coumarin is taken in large quantities. Adults can safely consume up to 0.1 milligrams of coumarin per day. This is the amount contained in 15 cinnamon stars. With small children it is already less: They should eat no more than three Zimtsterne per day. It is also worth paying attention to which cinnamon you use for baking. While cassia cinnamon usually contains a lot of coumarin, Ceylon cinnamon contains little or no coumarin. If you follow this rule, you have nothing to fear from cinnamon and can confidently enjoy the positive effects of this Christmas spice. After all, it stimulates not only digestion, but also circulation, blood flow, appetite and fat burning.
Anise: against cough and digestive problems.
Anise tastes like licorice and caraway and is a popular ingredient in Christmas baking for speculoos, spice slices and, of course, anise cookies. However, aniseed is not only used in cookies and Christmas cakes, but is also often contained in cough syrups due to its expectorant effect. In addition, anise promotes digestion and relieves cramps, tension, flatulence and headaches.
Nutmeg – healthy in small quantities
Small nut, big effect: while critics attribute a hallucinogenic effect to nutmeg, fans rave about its aphrodisiac, stimulating scent. The fact is that the nut is indeed poisonous. Therefore, nutmeg should never be consumed whole, but only in small quantities. As little as four grams can cause symptoms of poisoning in adults, and even a smaller amount is enough for children. A pinch of grated nutmeg in cookie or gingerbread dough, however, has never harmed anyone. With such small quantities rather the advantages of the nutmeg come to the surface: Naturopaths set on the calming, blood circulation-promoting effect of the nutmeg. In addition, nutmeg is said to relieve rheumatic complaints and muscle pain, and help against gastrointestinal complaints and insomnia.
Vanilla for a good mood
The classic vanilla may be missing in almost no Christmas cookies. Whether as vanilla sugar or grated directly from the pod – the sweet taste of vanilla gives every cookie that special something. In addition, vanilla is also a quite legal mood enhancer. The smell of vanilla ensures the release of happy hormones, strengthens the nerves and calms. If you want to get through the Christmas season slim, you should put a vanilla scented candle in the apartment. The scent drives away the craving for sweets. In addition, de rGeruch of vanilla resembles the human sex pheromones and thus has an aphrodisiac effect.
Cloves as a medicinal plant in mulled wine and cookies.
Clove flowers are not only commonly used to decorate cookies, but also serve as an important spice in both sweet and savory dishes. During the Christmas season, of course, this is especially true for gingerbread or Linzer cookies. Due to its numerous positive properties, the clove was named medicinal plant of the year in 2010. Because the clove works:
- Strongly analgesic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Soothing
- Disinfecting
- Antispasmodic
- Appetizing
In mulled wine, the clove (as a powder) is also used during Advent at the Christmas market.
Cardamom: stomach-friendly spice from Asia.
Gingerbread, speculoos and Christmas stollen are hardly imaginable without the sweet and spicy taste of cardamom.But the spice not only refines Christmas cookies, but is also gentle on the stomach and helps with digestive problems. The Asian spice cardamom from the ginger family also has a stimulating effect and helps with coughs, asthma and bad breath.
