Spices and Gastrointestinal Health Benefits: A State-of-the-Art

Abstract

Spices represent the basis of traditional medicine through the Middle East to Eastern Mediterranean, and Europe since antiquity. Nowadays, in Western countries, spices are frequently used to impart flavor and reduce the need for salt and fatty condiments, to improve digestion, and for their antioxidants effects. Thus, their diet-health linkages have drawn the attention of consumers, the scientific community, and the food industry. Indeed, their bioactive components are of considerable significance, making spices promising components to be included in a personalized diet. Numerous studies have demonstrated that spices have potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, and gastro-protective properties, and the role which diet plays in the prevention and treatment of many illnesses has been dissected. This review presents an overview of the most common spices highlighting their anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, and anti-tumoral properties. Human clinical trials, specifically randomized controlled trials, are necessary to describe and demonstrate their health benefits to define it as a functional food.