Health benefits of herbs and spices endorsed by leading nutritionist

• When you think of foods that contain antioxidants, fruits, vegetables or whole grains probably come to mind.
• But there's one food group you likely haven't heard about yet.
• Herbs and spices pop up everywhere from garden centers to the candy aisle, but they can do more than add zip to your dish.
• "Practically every herb and spice that's been studied has some health benefit," said dietician Marcia Herrin.
• Herbs and spices pop up everywhere from garden centers to the candy aisle, but they can do more than add zip to your dish.
• The Dartmouth Medical School nutritionist says herbs and spices are loaded with antioxidants, those chemicals that keep diseases in check.
• But we may not be getting those benefits as much as we could.
• Herrin says Americans don't use many herbs and spices compared to the rest of the world.
• In India, curry is part of the staple diet.
• There, rates of Alzheimer's disease are the lowest in the world.
• UCLA researcher and professor of medicine Sally Frautschy is studying curcumin, which is found in curry.
• Dill, sage, rosemary and ginger also rank high.
• "I'm guessing we're going to end up with some really powerful medicines out of this," said Herrin.
• You don't have to be a chef to reap the benefits.
• Just throwing a few herbs on soup or chicken is a good start.
• Researchers say many of these herbs are only absorbed by the body when they are eaten with fat, so cooking with oil will help release the antioxidants.
• Taking herbs and spices as a supplement in pill form will not do much for you because supplements are usually taken with water and your body cannot absorb them that way.