Have you ever noticed that whenever you get injured your body tends to swell up? Our body's natural reaction to various kinds of injuries or infections is swelling or redness of the infected part. This automatic response of our body is known as inflammation. There are basically two types of inflammation: Acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is the localized response to any injuries. This will help the injured body tissues to heal and restore their functions. If the inflammation stays in your body for a prolonged period of time, then it is known as chronic inflammation. It is generally caused because of any infection, allergy or any autoimmune reactions.

There are many anti inflammatory drugs which are generally eaten for reducing inflammation. But regular use of drugs normally results in side effects. The common side effects are indigestion, stomach ulcers etc. Whereas prolonged use of any anti inflammatory drug can also cause very serious side effects like hypertension, stroke etc. So it is always recommended that you eat natural food instead of these drugs. Certain food items that you eat in your normal diet can be anti inflammatory, especially if you include the anti inflammatory spices. These anti inflammatory spices can be much more beneficial when included in our day to day diet.

Following are some of the most effective anti inflammatory spices currently available in the market:

Turmeric

Turmeric is one of the most commonly used anti inflammatory spices in the Indian cuisine. Go to any Indian grocery store and you are sure to find this brilliant yellow colored spice. Turmeric contains an element called curcumin, which is known to have the required properties to reduce inflammation. For centuries, turmeric is known to have great medicinal value and has been used to treat cold, infections, wounds and even liver diseases.

Ginger

A tingling and zesty spice that can be found in most of the Asian cuisines is another spice with great medicinal value. It is used to effectively treat health problems like headaches, stomach aches and infections. It is available in all grocery stores either as a root or even in powdered form. Include it in your daily diet (either in food or even in your tea) and you are sure to get rid of inflammation.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is one such spice which is extracted from the bark of a tree and is found to be extremely beneficial for treating bronchitis and any issues related to gastrointestinal problems. The element cinnamaldehyde present in cinnamon helps in preventing the clumping of the platelets. Thus it reduces inflammation and is grouped as one of the best anti inflammatory spices.

Garlic

In addition to providing a wonderful flavor to most cuisines, garlic also has a certain unique combination of sulfur containing compounds that help in preventing inflammation.

Black Pepper

The inclusion of natural compounds called capsaicinoids in black pepper is a well known aid to effective digestion. In addition, they are also known to reduce inflammation. Since it is milder as compared to chilly, you can include it in all your meals.

In addition to being good for health, these anti inflammatory spices are also cost-effective. Unlike drugs, constant use of these spices does not cause any sort of side effects. So go ahead, include them in your daily meal and stay fit and healthy forever.