Queens Local News: Are There Health Benefits in Pumpkin Spice?

An Integrative Medicine Specialist Explains How Seasonal Flavors like Cinnamon Support an Anti-Inflammatory Diet 

This article originally appeared in NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Health Matters. 

By Camille Bautista-Fryer and Andrea Woo

QUEENS LOCAL NEWS - There are a few unmistakable signs that fall is here: leaves changing colors, a chill in the air — and pumpkin spice everywhere. But spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger are seasonal favorites that aren’t just comforting for the soul. 

“These spices have been used for centuries and they all have very beneficial health benefits,” says Dr. Michelle Loy, an integrative medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. “Spices are often a part of an anti-inflammatory diet, which means you’re eating whole foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and spices. I love talking about spices because they make the food taste good.”

So whether you’re sprinkling cinnamon and nutmeg into your pumpkin bread recipe or mulling apple cider with cloves and star anise, there’s some potential health impact to these fall flavors. Dr. Loy spoke with Health Matters about fall spices and what they could support.

Why are these fall spices so fitting for the season?

When you look at Ayuvedic traditions and Chinese medicine, there’s a principle of “energetics,” the warm and cool properties of foods. That doesn’t mean that the temperature is cold or hot, but that every food has cooling and warming properties, and it’s about finding a balance. So with pumpkin spice, like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, these are all very warming spices, and that’s great for fall when the weather gets colder. They also pair very well with pumpkin and some of these other root vegetables that our bodies tend to crave and get drawn toward because of the season.

Cinnamon is probably the most common fall spice.

What are the health benefits of cinnamon?

I call cinnamon your best friend because it not only gives a natural sweetness to food without additional sugar, but it also helps reduce the glucose spike should you eat sweet or processed carbohydrates. It’s a great example of a spice that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-tumor properties. A compound called cinnamaldehyde gives cinnamon its flavor and smell and is also the source of the health benefits.  

Studies have shown that it supports everything from blood pressure and blood sugar to helping alleviate period cramps, bad breath, tooth decay, and arthritis.

While one 2013 study found that cinnamon did not reduce blood glucose in patients with Type II diabetes, other studies have found that it can help decrease blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It’s not a conclusive cure-all, but people should feel good about incorporating it into their recipes.

Are there different types of cinnamon?

There are different types of cinnamon. What we most commonly find in grocery stores is cinnamon Cassia. This type of cinnamon looks like a roller. It is made of a single layer of very thick and hard bark, such as the type that is served with apple cider. Some feel it has a sweeter and spicier flavor. On the other hand, Ceylon cinnamon or Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon) consist of several fine layers of bark wrapped together and has a spongy appearance. It easily crumbles and its fragrance is more complex with herbal, citrus, and floral notes. It may lend itself better to savory dishes. Most importantly, there are lower amounts of coumarin (a blood thinner) in the Ceylon type as compared to the Cassia type, so if you are taking blood thinner medications, and ingesting a lot of cinnamon, you may want to consider which type of cinnamon you choose.

The Power of Pumpkin Spice

The spices that make up the pumpkin spice blend have been shown to have these qualities and potential health benefits.

* Cinnamon: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, supports cardiovascular health

* Ginger: Anti-inflammatory, helps with nausea

* Nutmeg: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory

* Clove: Antioxidant, supports pain relief

* Allspice: Anti-inflammatory, supports digestive health.

What are some other benefits of fall spices and whole foods?

A lot of these fall spices are very good for immune health, which people may want to boost as we enter cold and flu season. For example, star anise is another fall spice that’s worth incorporating into your recipes. It’s actually one of the main ingredients in Tamiflu, the anti-viral medication to treat the flu. One of the main ingredients in Tamiflu is shikimic acid, which is synthesized from star anise.

Every culture has their special soup that grandma makes, whether chicken soup or dahl or a black bean soup or a vegetable broth. Whatever it is, it usually has vegetables like garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and different kinds of herbs and spices. It’s probably those anti-inflammatory plant foods and spices, along with some love, that make people feel better when they drink that soup. 

What does it mean for foods to be anti-inflammatory?

An anti-inflammatory diet is an eating style that emphasizes whole, nutrient-rich foods to help reduce chronic inflammation and lower the risk of certain diseases, like heart disease and diabetes. It involves increasing intake of whole, biodiverse fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats while minimizing processed foods, sugary drinks, and refined carbohydrates. It is not a specific diet pattern, and traditional diets from nearly all cultures (not just the well-studied Mediterranean diet) can be anti-inflammatory.

Should consumers be concerned about lead in spices like cinnamon? 

The issue of lead and other heavy metals is not specific to cinnamon. It can unfortunately be seen in other healthful plant foods, like grains, cocoa, and other spices — anything that is grown in the ground. It can also be present in meats and seafood. Fortunately, the FDA is taking a stronger stance on regulation. New York has also taken a strong stance against lead contamination in spices by implementing the strictest standards in the country. This proactive approach includes extensive sampling and analysis of over 1,000 spices to identify potential sources of contamination, such as lead in cinnamon and lead chromate in turmeric.

How do they lower their risk of potential lead exposure?

Contamination is relatively rare and we shouldn’t eliminated these these healthful foods from our diet. But if you’re concerned about lead, you can diversify your spice portfolio, such as trying different sources of spices and alternating between fresh and dried herbs.

Can you have too much of a spice?

Usually in food form, it’s not a problem. Where you get into trouble is supplements, because they are concentrated and you don’t know how much you’re taking in. Sometimes for cinnamon, people might be sensitive to the oils and get some irritation around the side of their mouth. For some, this may happen with cinnamon toothpaste or when they eat a lot of cinnamon powder.