If you're someone who loves to cook, while I welcome you to skim this article, it's not exactly written with you in mind. This is more for those who try and avoid the kitchen at all costs yet, this year, they want to either make a dish or host an entire meal for the holidays and they're not quite sure what to use beyond the salt and pepper shakers that are sitting on their kitchen table.
As someone who personally really enjoys cooking, I can tell you that this is the kind of topic that could go on for days and days; however, you don't have the time and I don't have the writing space to cover all of the spices and seasonings that you should have in your arsenal. For now, take a look at these 10 as an introductory course, so that as you're in the process of grocery shopping, you can get an idea of which ones you should add in order to get a few "ooos" and "ahhs" from your folks once they get a taste of what you have prepared.
1. Allspice
If you're someone who thought that allspice is comprised of several different spices, you certainly wouldn't be alone. Here's the thing, though — it's actually just one spice that's made up of dried berries that derive from an allspice tree in Jamaica. When it comes to what will provide the most intense kind of flavor, whole allspice is best although ground allspice tends to be more popular. What I personally like about it is it tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a hint of pepper.
As far as health benefits go, allspice is good for you because it's packed with antioxidants, can help treat nausea, and is even good at bringing relief to menopause-related symptoms.
What Dishes to Put Allspice In: lamb and beef, Jamaican jerk seasoning, pumpkin desserts, sausages, pickled veggies, and curries
2. Basil
Basil is an herb that hails from central Africa and Southeast Asia. As far as the taste of it goes, it's reminiscent of a blend of pepper and mint. Basil is good for you because it's also high in antioxidants, can help to reduce oxidative stress and its antibacterial properties can help to fight against infections which is always a good thing during cold and flu season.
What Dishes to Put Basil In: If you opt to go the fresh basil route, there are all kinds of ways to use it — pesto, pasta, on top of appetizers (like deviled eggs), in homemade soups, on top of homemade pizzas and even as a garnish for cocktails
3. Cinnamon
A spice that definitely tops my cooking list is cinnamon. It comes from the inner bark of the genus Cinnamomum tree and it tastes like sweet meets wood meets spice. The health benefits of cinnamon are vast. Some of them include the fact that it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only that but cinnamon can lower your risk of heart disease, protect against cancer and fight bacterial and fungal infections too.
What Dishes to Put Cinnamon In: Geez. What can't cinnamon go into? What immediately comes to mind is it's great for breakfast foods like French toast, any dessert that is apple-related, cookies, sweet potatoes, candied bacon, and zucchini bread
4. Ginger
Ginger is a flowering plant that is pretty spicy (kind of peppery and sweet at the same time). It's really good for you because it has strong medicinal properties — ones that help to ease nausea and morning sickness. It also can help to ease indigestion and menstrual cramps. And it's effective when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels and fighting gum disease too.
What Dishes to Put Ginger In: lamb, sauces, noodles, desserts, drinks, eggplant, pasta, and oatmeal
5. Orange Peels
I mean, of course, you know what orange peels are and where they come from, so let's get into some of the reasons why they are so good for you. They are high in fiber, vitamins B and C as well as calcium, along with polyphenols which help to protect your system from various diseases. Orange peels are also known for being able to strengthen your heart, fight off allergy-related symptoms, help you to digest food better and if you chew on a couple of 'em, they can even make your breath smell better. So yeah, orange peels, as a seasoning, definitely had to go on this list.
What Dishes to Put Orange Peels In: tea, salad dressing, glazes, fish, pork, slaw, and (as a hack) to keep brown sugar from getting hard
6. Peppercorns
Here's something you may not know — black pepper comes from peppercorns (well, kinda; read more about that here) and peppercorns are actually classified as being a fruit! The vine that it comes from is called a Piperaceae and the health benefits of peppercorns consist of potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, being a brain booster, regulating your blood sugar levels, providing pain relief, and promoting good gut health. Anyway, because peppercorns are prepared differently than black pepper is, they tend to have a fruitier taste to them.
What Dishes to Put Peppercorns In: salad dressings, fish and chicken dishes, soups and omelets
7. Rosemary
Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb whose actual name is Salvia Rosmarinus. As far as taste goes, it's basically woodsy meets citrus meets mint meets pepper meets pine. It's good for you because rosemary has lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which are attributed to strong immunity, increased blood circulation, alertness, focus, reduced pain, and less stress.
What Dishes to Put Rosemary In: casseroles, stews, salads, meat, potatoes, and bread
8. Sage
Sage is a plant that thrives in the Mediterranean region as well. It comes from the Latin word Salvere which means "to save". When it comes to how it tastes, it's got hints of lemon, mint, and pepper to it. When it comes to why it's good for you, sage is bomb because it's a pretty good source of Vitamin K and antioxidants, it can help to lower your blood sugar levels, can improve your memory, and even combats aging.
What Dishes to Put Sage In: poultry dishes, infused butter, sandwiches, fish, roasted squash, pasta, and stuffing
9. Vanilla Beans
If you've ever wondered where vanilla, as we know it, comes from, it's removed from pods of certain orchids, commonly the Vanilla planifolia. Something that makes it so beneficial, health-wise, is vanilla contains a plant compound called vanillin that is high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties too. Since this compound also helps to boost brain power, curb your appetite for sugar (check out "Ever Wonder If You've Got A Low-Key Sugar Addiction?") and lower your cholesterol levels, you shouldn't feel the least bit guilty about consuming it.
What Dishes to Put Vanilla Beans In: desserts, jam, syrup, fresh fruit, and marinades
10. White Pepper
Let me tell it, one of the most unsung spices of our time is white pepper. It comes from the pepper plant (which again is a fruit) and is fun to cook with because it has a milder taste to it than black pepper does. What makes white pepper different from black pepper, preparation-wise is for black pepper to be made, unripe pepper berries are picked and dried so that its skin turns dark while white pepper is made from ripe berries that are left to ferment.
Anyway, white pepper has potent anti-inflammatory properties, can help to boost your immunity, promotes strong blood circulation, can help to soothe the effects of a headache, and, believe it or not, can help to keep your breath fresh too. So, as you're putting your holiday menu together, try and add at least one recipe that calls for white pepper. You definitely won't regret it!
What Dishes to Put White Pepper In: creamy sauces, potatoes, seafood, fried rice, and pasta
Featured image by Getty Images
RELATED
There is quite a bit of science to back this up too. For instance, physical touch can lower stress and boost immunity. Physical touch makes us calmer and more compassionate. Physical touch reduces pain and anxiety. Physical touch helps to cultivate emotional intimacy with other people. Physical touch creates comfort and pleasure. Bottom line, physical touch does so much for us which is why we should learn as much about it as we possibly can.
That’s not to say that all of us desire to be touched in the same fashion, though. For example, did you know that there is quite a bit of research to support the fact that men and women (overall) long to be touched in different ways?
In the effort that we all become more “fluently effective” when it comes to how we “speak” the language of physical touch to those around us (especially when it comes to our partner), let’s explore how a man wants to be touched vs. how a woman prefers to be.
Men and Women Are Different. Even When It Comes to Touch. Why, Though?
GiphyBefore I get into some things that I discovered about men and women when it comes to where they prefer to be touched and how those places differ from one another, first let’s — pardon the pun — touch on why there is even a difference in the first place. Apparently, because women’s fingers are naturally softer, they are better when it comes to touch discrimination. What is that? Touch discrimination is basically having the ability to tell the difference between different types of touch sensations. And this is probably a big part of the reason why research also says that when compassion, anger, or happiness is conveyed through touch, men and women tend to respond/react a bit differently as well.
Case in point: One study stated that when two men try to convey compassion through touch, it doesn’t really resonate well, although men can detect anger, even through the slightest touch, extraordinarily well. And happiness? Well, when two women are sharing that feeling through touch, it is clearly conveyed — meanwhile, between a man and a woman or two men? Yeah, not so much.
The thought process for these three emotions is, when it comes to compassion because women have been the prominent caregivers throughout history, they have “mastered” the ability to express it. Anger? Remember, men are good at detecting it — studies say that it’s because they tend to feel and express anger more often; I’d venture to say that being protectors and providers requires being aware of that emotion far more often as well. Happiness? Reportedly, women tend to be happier more often than men are and they also convey their emotions, openly, more than men do too.
How Men Feel About Physical Touch (Overall)
GiphyOkay, so when it comes to unique things about men and women as it relates to touch, let’s start with the fellas, out the gate. I wanna do that because, when I was doing my research on all of this, I immediately came across something that proved what I just said in the intro. What part in particular? Did you know that, even when it comes to truly platonic friendships, men still wish that their female friends would engage in physical touch more than women do (via their male friends)?
That’s because, even when it comes to intimacy among friends, physical touch displays trust and a feeling of closeness — and research says that men find that to be valuable. And so yes, this does amplify the point that physical touch and the need for it go well beyond sexual intimacy.
Still, I’m sure that it comes as absolutely no surprise that if you were to ask a group of men and women who prefer the love language of physical touch more, it’s going to be men (especially if they are over the age of 45). And while there are many theories for why this is the case, mine is that, since men are traditionally known and expected to be providers and protectors and that is hard work, I think they feel safe, reassured, seen, validated and deeply cared for through physical touch. It’s a way for them to get “off of the clock” from using touch to take care of others to being touched in a nurturing way.
Some other interesting things about men and touch is, although women seem to be more at ease with being touched overall, guys are more comfortable with being touched by strangers, especially in a flirty way (in part, because they process it as a potential for “opportunity” — read between the lines there), they prefer women touching them over being touched by men and they are known to initiate touch more if who they are touching is a woman.
And what about touch as it relates to sexual intimacy? Well, according to science, while both men and women enjoy their genital region, lips, ears, shoulders, and inner thighs to be caressed, men also respond to the back of their legs to be touched while women barely even acknowledge that part of their body (in this way). Men also consider their hands to be an erogenous zone far more than women do. It should also be noted that men are more aroused by touching their partner than being touched by them.
How Women Feel About Physical Touch (Overall)
GiphySo, what about women and touch? Well, something that is associated with women quite a bit is affective touch. If you’re not familiar with what that is, affective touch is all about having the ability to touch in a way that cultivates feeling and emotion. Not only do women tend to be better at doing it, but they also find it to be a more pleasurable experience than men do. Research says that this is because of the fact that, overall, women have had more positive experiences, as it related to touch than men.
Something else that is interesting about affective touch is women who express themselves through touch are typically considered to be more affectionate and trusting as opposed to men who touch a lot. And so, since women like to give affective touch, they are also highly responsive to it — and that could explain why women like to touch and be touched (like reaching out to touch someone’s hand) when someone is sharing their thoughts and feelings with them.
Another thing to note about women and touch is because their pain perception is a lot more sensitive than men’s, even slight adjustments in touch (pressure, temperature shifts in body parts, etc.) will affect them in a way that won’t affect men. When it comes to sexual intimacy, specifically, this could explain why even a slight shift in touch can bring a woman into or take a woman out of the mood far easier and quicker than it would a guy’s.
Something else that should go on record here is how women respond to touch based on their menstrual cycle. For instance, when a woman is ovulating, she tends to be more sensitive to touch; plus, she also finds kissing to be more of a priority. Meanwhile, the drastic shifts in hormones during menopause and postmenopause can make women less sensitive to touch.
As far as sex and sexual stimulation go, women reportedly like to be touched more than to touch. Also, when a man looks into a woman’s eyes while touching her, that increases her arousal levels significantly (men prefer women to gaze at their genitalia; not sure if anyone is shocked there — LOL). Places where they prefer to be touched include their breasts, neck, and butt; some even say that they can orgasm just from being stimulated in those spots (along with their lips and ears). As far as the type of touch that is most effective for women during copulation, oral reigns.
And what about how men feel about oral sex? Well, I once read an article that said that 27 percent of the male participants in their study would rather get some fellatio tonight than receive a raise, so…you do the math. LOL (while we’re on the topic of oral sex, a little over 50 percent of men and women find it to be more intimate than intercourse and consider refusal to engage to be a relationship deal-breaker. Agreed).
GiphyOkay, so with all of this intel on how men and women differ in the touch department, what does all of this even mean? To me, it’s a blaring reminder that even something as simple as touching has billions of layers to it — that even though touch is something that we all need, the art of it is something that must be studied and mastered; especially when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex and even more so when that person is our partner.
And yet, we shouldn’t take this information lightly because, when you (again) factor in all of the ways that touch is holistically beneficial…just imagine how much better intimacy would be, on all levels, if we respected how people prefer to be touched more often.
A poet by the name of John Keats once said, “Touch has a memory.” Think about that the next time you reach out to touch someone — and they reach out to touch you. Then ask yourself: what memories do you want them to have? What memories do you want to keep?
How can all of this data help to make that happen?
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Featured image by Giphy