Are herbs and spices good for you? You bet. Not only do they taste good, they can help your health.

An herb is the leaf of a plant used for its smell. It can be used by itself or to flavor food. Spices come from other parts of plants. Some of these are cinnamon bark, clove buds, cumin seeds, and ginger root.

"Circumen" comes from turmeric or curry. It may protect against some types of memory loss.

Ginger is a powerful spice. It's best known for helping nausea. It can also help inflammation. This includes arthritis. Animal studies have targeted its active ingredient. It is called "gingerol." It may help battle or prevent some cancers.

Herbs and spices have also been used to preserve food. Cloves, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, and rosemary help fight bacteria. Red pepper can help with pain. It can also prevent you from eating too much.