Health benefits of herbs and spices in our diets

Members of the Primary Care Research Centre recently attended the launch of a new report highlighting the health benefits of herbs and spices in the diet.

The Spice up your life report, led by Pukka Herbs, makes three important policy recommendations:

• Include herbs and spices in the Eatwell Guide
• Invest in research on the benefits of herbs and spices for metabolic disease
• The benefits of herbs and spices (both flavour and health benefits) to be taught as part of improved food lessons in schools

The University of Southampton group, which attended the launch at the Houses of Parliament, included Immaculate Okello, Mio Hu, Merlin Willcox, and Xiaowen Zhang.

Immaculate is currently undertaking a PhD, which is part-funded by Pukka Herbs, focusing on improving self-management of type 2 diabetes in patients of African origin in the UK. The results will support recommendations one and two from the report.

Immaculate said: “This research reiterates that herbs and spices are more than “just” flavour to our meals. Evidence also suggests the beneficial effect of culinary doses of some herbs in controlling blood glucose levels among type 2 diabetes patients. We are co-designing resources that offer evidence-based guidance on what herbal remedies, in what quantities, can help us manage type 2 diabetes better.”

*image: From right to left: Immaculate Okello, Mio Hu, Merlin Willcox, Marion Mackonochie (Pukka Herbs) and Xiaowen Zhang.